Calzone, also known as Pizza Pockets are classic Italian turnovers that are made with leavened dough. This Calzone Pocket recipe is baked and stuffed with a creamy and cheesy red bell pepper, onion, garlic, herbs filling.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 60 minutes
  • Cook time: 40 minutes
  • Total time: 100 minutes
  • Yield: 5 · 5 Calzones
  • Category: Snacks
  • Cuisine: Italian, World

Ingredients

  • 2.5 cups whole wheat flour
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • 1.25 cups water (or add as required)
  • 1 teaspoon instant yeast (or ½ tablespoon dry active yeast or 1 tablespoon fresh yeast)
  • 1 pinch sugar
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ½ to ¾ teaspoon salt (or add as required)
  • 1 onion (- medium to large, finely chopped)
  • 1 red bell pepper (- extra large or 2 medium-sized, (you can choose any one - green red or yellow or a mix), chopped)
  • 2 to 3 garlic cloves (- small to medium, peeled and finely chopped)
  • 1 teaspoon white wine (or red wine, optional)
  • 1 teaspoon chopped basil
  • 1 teaspoon chopped parsley (or coriander leaves)
  • 70 to 80 grams cheese (- mozzarella or cheddar or half-half of both)
  • 2 tablespoons light cream (or low fat cream (25% to 35% fat))
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • salt (as required)
  • crushed black pepper (or ground black pepper, as required)
  • 2 to 3 teaspoons olive oil (- for brushing the calzones)

Method

Making Sponge

  1. Warm the water. Dissolve sugar, sprinkle yeast and the ½ cup of all-purpose flour.
  2. With a wired whisk, beat this sponge mixture well and make sure there are no lumps.
  3. Close the bowl and allow the mixture to bubble up at room temperature for about 30 minutes to 50 minutes.

Making Dough

  1. Add the 2 tablespoons olive oil, ½ to ¾ salt (or as required) and 1 cup whole wheat flour in this sponge mixture.
  2. Stir and mix well with a wooden spoon or spatula.
  3. Later add other 1 cup of whole wheat flour and continue stirring till the whole mixture gathers together and starts leaving the sides of the bowl.
  4. Lastly add the ½ cup of whole wheat flour and working with your hands begin to knead.
  5. Place the whole dough mixture on the work surface and knead very well till the dough becomes smooth, springy and elastic. Add more water if required.
  6. Brush water all over the dough and place in a bowl covered with a kitchen towel.
  7. Allow to leaven and rise for about 45 mins to 1 hour.
  8. Once the dough has risen well and doubled up, divide the dough into 5 equal balls.
  9. Place them in a bowl covered for about 10 to 15 minutes.

Making calzone stuffing

  1. In a frying pan or skillet, heat olive oil. Add the finely chopped onions and garlic and sauté till the onions soften and turn translucent.
  2. Add the chopped bell peppers and sauté till the bell pepper are almost cooked.
  3. Some crunch is desirable in the bell peppers.
  4. Then add the crushed black pepper, salt, wine, basil and parsley or coriander leaves (cilantro).
  5. Stir to mix and turn off the stovetop. Set aside the stuffing to cool.
  6. When the stuffing becomes warm, grate the cheese on top of it.
  7. Add the cream and mix thoroughly.
  8. Keep this calzone filling aside till it completely cools.

Assembling and making calzone

  1. Before baking preheat the oven 20 minutes before at 250 degrees Celsius.
  2. Take a ball and roll into a round of 5 to 6 inches diameter on a lightly dusted board.
  3. Place the filling on one side keeping a space of about 1 centimeter all around the edge.
  4. Gently cover the stuffed side and join the edges.
  5. Press the folded edges with a fork so that the edges are pressed well.
  6. You can also brush some water and then press the edges. The calzone have to be folded really well, so that the stuffing does not come out while baking.

Baking calzone

  1. Gently lift and place the calzone in a greased tray. Make other calzones this way.
  2. Place the calzone in the pre heated oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes till they are golden from top.
  3. Remove them with the help of a spatula and keep on a wire rack for cooling.
  4. Brush the calzone surface with olive oil when they are still hot.
  5. You can bake all of them once if you have a large oven or bake in batches.
  6. When they are warm, slice them and serve with tomato sauce, ketchup or pizza sauce.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.