These Pepperoni Mushroom Calzones are an easy way to change up pizza night. Pizza dough stuffed with pepperoni, mushroom and cheese gets folded over, baked and served with marinara sauce.
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What is a calzone?
Originating from Naples, a calzone is an Italian baked, half-moon/crescent-shaped folded pizza, made with yeasted dough.
The fillings traditionally contain salami or ham, vegetables, and cheese such as mozzarella, parmesan or ricotta.
However, the fillings can vary depending on region.
What is the difference between stromboli and calzone?
Stromboli, which is very similar, is usually rolled up into a cylindrical shape and baked.
The main difference is that the filling in a stromboli contains sauce, whereas calzones are not baked with tomato sauce inside.
Rather, the sauce is served on the side.
Calzones are not fried.
What is a panzerotti?
A panzerotti smaller calzone that deep fried, rather than oven baked.
Commercially sold pizza pops, or pizza pockets are theoretically panzerotti.
Why you'll love this recipe
This recipe is a fun way to change up your pizza.
It's made with my everyday pizza dough, and you can easily customize it and fill it with whatever you have on hand.
Calzones are portable, and easy to eat, making them great for kids lunches or snacks.
You can easily change how you shape the dough and roll them to make stromboli.
Ingredients you'll need
- 1 batch pizza dough: you can use store-bought pizza dough as well
- mushroom: sliced
- pepperoni: sliced
- cheese: mozzarella, or a mixture of cheeses such as cheddar, ricotta, parmesan
- egg: beaten, for egg wash
For serving
- pizza sauce or marinara sauce
How to make calzones
Prepare the pizza dough according to the instructions, or you can use store-bought dough.
Once the dough has risen, deflate it and divide into 8 equal dough balls on a lightly floured surface.
Preheat oven to 425F.
Line two large (18" by 13") baking trays with parchment paper.
Taking one dough ball, flatten it out into a 6-7" round diameter.
Fill one half of the dough with mushroom, pepperoni and cheese (or whatever toppings you like).
Fold the dough over the filling, and crimp around the edges with your thumb or fingers to seal.
Place the calzone onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, ensuring a little space in between the calzones.
Repeat with the remainder.
Lightly cover the calzones and leave to rise in a warm location, until slightly puffy.
Use a sharp knife to make a few slits on the tops of each calzone.
Lightly whisk the beaten egg with a fork and use a pastry brush to brush the egg wash over the surface of the dough.
Bake at 425F for 18-20 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown.
Remove from oven and let cool before serving.
Other filling ideas
You can use:
- Italian sausage
- assorted deli meats: ham/salami
- meatballs
- cooked chicken
- bacon
- assorted veggies: peppers, olives, spinach, caramelized onions; if adding veggies, cook it down before adding (especially if choosing a watery veggie such spinach)
- assorted cheeses: parmesan cheese, cheddar, feta
How to serve calzones
Serve the pepperoni mushroom calzones with marinara sauce or pizza sauce.
Try pairing calzones with fries, breadsticks, cheese breadsticks, garlic bread, soup, linguine aglio olio, or Caesar salad.
How to store & reheat
Store the cooled calzones in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
You can freeze the calzones in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 1 month.
Reheat the calzones in the microwave for 1 minute, or in the oven for 10-15 minutes, until warmed through.
FAQs
Is calzone dough the same as pizza dough?
The dough used to make pizza is the same as calzone dough.
The only difference is how its baked: pizza is baked flat, where as calzone is folded over into a turnover of sorts.
Can I make the dough ahead of time?
Yes, you can make the dough ahead of time and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days, or in the freezer.
If frozen, be sure to defrost the dough in the fridge the night before you plan to make them.
Remove the dough from the fridge and leave it at room temperature for about 2 hours prior to making the calzones.
Do calzones and stromboli have sauce?
Calzones do not contain sauce, where as stromboli do.
Other delicious pizza recipes you may like
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Let me know if you try out this recipe -- tag me on Instagram @siftandsimmer or leave me a comment/rating below!
Calzones
For accuracy and precision in baking recipes, use weight (metric) measurements when available.
Ingredients
- 1 batch pizza dough
- 150 g pepperoni sliced
- 150 g mozzarella cheese shredded
- 6-8 mushrooms sliced
For egg wash:
- 1 egg beaten
For serving:
- marinara sauce or pizza sauce
Instructions
For key visual process steps, refer to the body of the blog post.
Make the pizza dough:
- Combine yeast and sugar into a bowl with ½ C (125ml) lukewarm water.
- Give it a stir and set aside until yeast is bubbly and active.
- Add flour and salt into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment.
- While the mixer is running, add the activated yeast mixture, remaining water (you may not need all of it) and olive oil and mix until the dough forms smoothly into a ball.
- Note: If the dough appears too sticky, add additional flour, and if it's too dry, add a little water, 1 tablespoon at a time. This dough can be quite moist, so add a little at a time.
- Knead until dough is smooth and shiny, about 7-8 minutes in the mixer.
- Place the dough into a lightly greased bowl, cover with a towel and place in a warm place to double in size, about 1 hour, depending on how warm your kitchen is.
Shape the dough:
- Preheat oven to 425°F/218°C.
- Once the dough has risen, deflate it and divide into 8 equal dough balls on a lightly floured surface.
- Line two large (18" by 13") baking trays with parchment paper.
- Taking one dough ball and flatten it out into a 6-7" round diameter.
- Fill one half of the dough with pepperoni, mushroom and cheese (or whatever toppings you like).
- Fold the dough over the filling, and crimp around the edges with your thumb or fingers to seal.
- Place the calzone onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, ensuring a little space in between the calzones.
- Repeat with the remainder.
- Lightly cover the calzones and leave to rise in a warm location, until slightly puffy.
- Use a sharp knife to make a few slits on the tops of each calzone.
- Lightly whisk the beaten egg with a fork and use a pastry brush to brush the egg wash over the surface of the dough.
- Bake at 425°F/218°C for 18-20 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown.
- Remove from oven and let cool before serving.
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided should be considered as approximate and is not guaranteed. Please use your best judgment to ensure food is safely prepared and/or a good fit for your diet.
Raymund | angsarap.net
Oh, these Pepperoni Mushroom Calzones sound like the perfect twist to our usual pizza night! I love how you've explained the difference between calzones and stromboli - it's always good to know the culinary nuances. The fact that they are portable and easy to eat makes them an ideal option for kids' lunches or snacks.
Michelle
Thanks so much Raymund! They are really handy for kids (and adult) lunches, indeed! 🙂