Pepperoni Calzones: the fast, appetizing recipe for a classic Italian dish

If you're a fan of a classic pepperoni pizza, get ready to fall in love with the pepperoni calzone. Calzones are a delicious Italian dish that's similar to pizza – they're essentially a folded baked pizza. They're made with many of the same ingredients as pizza including pizza dough, pepperoni, cheese, herbs, and anything else you'd like to add.

Calzones are easy to make and even easier to customize. You can add any fillings you want to your homemade calzones. It's a perfect weeknight dinner that your whole family will love!

What is a Calzone?

Calzones are folded over pizzas which are baked in the oven. They're made with pizza dough. You can make your dough from scratch or pick up store-bought pizza dough for extra convenience. In Italian, calzone means pant leg, and it comes from calzoni trousers.

While similar to stromboli, calzones are a bit different. Strombolis are rolled rather than sealed and crimped. In terms of which is healthier, it comes down to what types of filling you use. Either way, they're both delicious!

How to Make Pepperoni Calzones

The secret to great-tasting calzones is to bake them at high heat. Preheat your oven to 500F and grease two baking trays with cooking spray. Slice the pizza dough into four pieces of roughly equal size. Lightly flour a work surface and roll out one piece of the pizza dough into an 8-inch circle. Place some of the pizza sauce onto the circle of dough. Sprinkle some pepperoni, mozzarella, and ricotta over the sauce.

Wet your fingertips and lightly dampen the edges of the dough then fold it in half and crimp the sides to seal. Repeat with the three other pieces of dough. Arrange the calzones onto the baking sheets. Cut a few slits into the top of each and brush the tops with olive oil and garnish with salt. Bake them for 10 minutes, brush with oil, then bake for another 10 minutes. Remove the calzones from the oven and leave them to cool for 5 to 7 minutes. Enjoy!

Tips

Take your dough out of the fridge about an hour before you begin making your calzones so it's easier to work.

Be generous when filling your calzones. While you wouldn't want to overdo it with toppings when making a pizza because the dough can only hold so much, you won't have the same issues with a calzone.

Brush your calzone with either olive oil or an egg wash to help it brown beautifully.

Calzone Filling Ideas

You can add whatever fillings you like to your calzone. Pretty much anything will taste delicious as a calzone filling. Some popular options are cheese, sausage, ground beef or pork, spinach, bacon, broccoli, kale, olives, mushrooms – the list goes on! Try putting your favorite pizza toppings into your calzone and enjoy the results.

How to Store Pepperoni Calzones

Baked pepperoni calzones will stay fresh for 3 days when refrigerated. Wrap them in foil or place them in an airtight container.

Can You Freeze Pepperoni Calzones?

Absolutely! Once you've finished putting your calzones together, cut a few slits into the top, then wrap them and put them in the freezer. Unbaked calzones will last for 3 months. Cooked calzones for 2 months.

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 500F. Lightly grease two baking trays with cooking spray.

Cut the pizza dough into 4 equal portions. Lightly flour a work surface and roll out the pizza dough into an 8-inch circle.

Add some pizza sauce to the dough. Sprinkle some pepperoni, mozzarella, and ricotta onto the dough. Lightly dampen the edges of the dough. Fold it in half then crimp the sides to seal. Repeat with the 3 other pieces of dough.

Place the calzones onto the baking sheets. Cut a few slits into the top of each. Brush with olive oil and garnish with salt.

Bake for 10 minutes, brush with oil, then bake for another 10 minutes. Remove from the oven to cool for 5 to 7 minutes, and serve.

Notes

If you're reheating frozen calzones, extend the cooking time by a few minutes. You don't need to defrost them.