Lucy M. Calzone recipe is your ticket to making authentic Italian-inspired hand pies at home that rival any pizzeria. These golden, crispy pockets are filled with caramelized onions, roasted peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes, and melted Cheddar cheese, creating a complete meal in every bite. With homemade dough that rises beautifully and a straightforward filling technique, this recipe delivers impressive results that feel far more complicated than they actually are. Perfect for dinner, lunch, or casual entertaining.
Why You’ll Love this Calzone
If you’ve ever wondered what’d happen if a pizza decided to fold itself into a crispy, golden pocket of pure comfort, well, this calzone’s got the answer. I love how it transforms simple ingredients into something that feels genuinely special.
You get that satisfying crunch when you bite through the exterior, then discover layers of caramelized onions, roasted peppers, and melted Cheddar inside. Unlike pizza, nothing slides off your plate, and the filling stays sealed in, keeping everything perfectly moist. The mushrooms add this earthy depth, while balsamic vinegar brings subtle sweetness.
It’s impressive enough for dinner guests, yet straightforward enough that I won’t stress making it on a Tuesday night.
While these calzones bring Italian comfort to your table, Mary Berry’s Chicken Curry takes you on a flavorful journey to the subcontinent. Both prove that wrapped or sauced, comfort food transcends borders.
What Ingredients are in Calzone?
This homemade calzone combines a simple yet flavorful dough base with a robust filling packed with vegetables, cheese, and aromatic seasonings. The recipe brings together everyday pantry staples and fresh produce to create a satisfying handheld meal that’s greater than the sum of its parts. Each ingredient plays a specific role—from the yeast that creates the light, airy crust to the caramelized onions and roasted peppers that form the flavor foundation of the filling.
Dough Ingredients:
- 3½ cups bread flour
- 1 package (¼ oz/7 g) fast-acting dried yeast
- 3 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for greasing
- Beaten egg for sealing and glazing
Filling Ingredients:
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 large onions, sliced
- 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
- 3 Romano or red bell peppers, halved, seeded, and chopped
- 8 oz (250 g) cremini mushrooms, thickly sliced
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 can (14 oz/400 g) chopped tomatoes, drained
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 1 oz (30 g) pitted black olives, halved
- 6 oz (175 g) aged Cheddar cheese, grated
How to Make this Calzone
- Begin making the dough: place the flour, yeast, olive oil, and 1¼ cups of lukewarm water into an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix on medium speed for about 5 minutes until a cohesive dough forms. If making by hand, combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl, add the oil and water, and mix with your hands until combined.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5–10 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic. Shape the dough into a neat ball and place it in a lightly oiled large bowl.
- Cover the bowl with oiled plastic wrap and set it in a warm place to rise for 1–1½ hours, or until the dough has doubled in size and feels puffy to the touch.
- Once risen, knock back the dough by punching it down gently to release the air. Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead briefly until smooth again.
- Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces. Roll out each piece on a lightly floured surface to form a 9 in (23 cm) round. Preheat the oven to 475°F (240°C).
- While the dough is rising, prepare the filling: heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a frying pan over high heat. Add the onions and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and let the onions cook gently for 15 minutes until they’re soft and sweet, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Remove the lid and increase the heat back to high. Cook for a few more minutes, stirring frequently, to evaporate any excess liquid until the onions are caramelized and golden.
- Transfer the cooked onions to a bowl and stir in the vinegar, mixing well. Set aside while you prepare the other vegetables.
- Heat the remaining olive oil in the same frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the peppers and cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften and char slightly.
- Add the mushrooms to the pan with the peppers and continue cooking for 2–3 minutes more, stirring frequently, until both vegetables are tender and any moisture has evaporated.
Calzone Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Begin making the dough: place the flour, yeast, olive oil, and 1¼ cups of lukewarm water into an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix on medium speed for about 5 minutes until a cohesive dough forms. If making by hand, combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl, add the oil and water, and mix with your hands until combined.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5–10 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic. Shape the dough into a neat ball and place it in a lightly oiled large bowl.
- Cover the bowl with oiled plastic wrap and set it in a warm place to rise for 1–1½ hours, or until the dough has doubled in size and feels puffy to the touch.
- Once risen, knock back the dough by punching it down gently to release the air. Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead briefly until smooth again.
- Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces. Roll out each piece on a lightly floured surface to form a 9 in (23 cm) round. Preheat the oven to 475°F (240°C).
- While the dough is rising, prepare the filling: heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a frying pan over high heat. Add the onions and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and let the onions cook gently for 15 minutes until they’re soft and sweet, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Remove the lid and increase the heat back to high. Cook for a few more minutes, stirring frequently, to evaporate any excess liquid until the onions are caramelized and golden.
- Transfer the cooked onions to a bowl and stir in the vinegar, mixing well. Set aside while you prepare the other vegetables.
- Heat the remaining olive oil in the same frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the peppers and cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften and char slightly.
- Add the mushrooms to the pan with the peppers and continue cooking for 2–3 minutes more, stirring frequently, until both vegetables are tender and any moisture has evaporated.
Notes
Is Calzone Dough Just Pizza Dough?
Calzone dough is essentially pizza dough, made from the same basic ingredients of flour, yeast, water, and olive oil. The dough requires identical mixing, kneading, and rising techniques. The primary difference lies in thickness and texture, as calzone dough is often rolled slightly thicker to accommodate generous fillings while maintaining structural integrity when folded and baked. The main distinction between calzone and pizza dough appears during shaping and cooking rather than in the dough itself. Calzone dough is folded into a half-moon pocket, while pizza dough remains flat. This folding creates a denser, chewier crust that withstands hearty fillings. Both benefit from proper rising and high-heat baking, producing crispy exteriors and tender interiors.Is Calzone Dough Just Pizza Dough?
Calzone dough is essentially pizza dough, made from the same basic ingredients of flour, yeast, water, and olive oil. The dough requires identical mixing, kneading, and rising techniques. The primary difference lies in thickness and texture, as calzone dough is often rolled slightly thicker to accommodate generous fillings while maintaining structural integrity when folded and baked.
The main distinction between calzone and pizza dough appears during shaping and cooking rather than in the dough itself. Calzone dough is folded into a half-moon pocket, while pizza dough remains flat. This folding creates a denser, chewier crust that withstands hearty fillings. Both benefit from proper rising and high-heat baking, producing crispy exteriors and tender interiors.
Calzone Substitutions and Variations
Once you’ve mastered the basic recipe, you’ll probably want to start playing around with different fillings—and honestly, that’s where calzones get really fun. I’d swap the cremini mushrooms for fresh spinach or zucchini if I’m going vegetarian.
The aged Cheddar works beautifully, but ricotta mixed with mozzarella creates this creamy texture that’s honestly hard to beat. Not a bell pepper person? Try roasted garlic or sun-dried tomatoes instead. You could even go meat-forward with Italian sausage or prosciutto, though you’d want to skip some vegetables to avoid overstuffing.
The balsamic vinegar and tomato paste are your flavor anchors, so keep those. What matters most is balancing moisture content—too wet and your crust gets soggy.
What to Serve with Calzone
A warm, stuffed calzone is pretty satisfying on its own, but pairing it with the right sides and sauces really elevates the whole meal. I’d go with a simple marinara sauce for dipping—nothing fancy, just tomatoes, garlic, and herbs simmered together.
A crisp green salad with vinaigrette cuts through the richness nicely. Garlic bread works if I’m feeling indulgent, though honestly, the calzone already delivers carbs. For something lighter, roasted vegetables like zucchini or broccoli balance things out.
A chilled beverage matters too; I lean toward unsweetened iced tea or a light beer. The key is choosing sides that complement rather than compete. Think fresh, think simple, think about what won’t leave me feeling stuffed afterward.
Final Thoughts
Making a homemade calzone from scratch might seem like a lot of work, but honestly, it’s way more forgiving than you’d think. I mean, you’re basically folding pizza into a pocket—not exactly rocket science. The real magic happens when that crispy, golden dough hits your table and everyone realizes you made restaurant-quality food at home. Sure, your first one might look a little wonky, but it’ll still taste incredible. That’s the beauty of calzones: they’re forgiving enough for beginners yet sophisticated enough to impress. Once you master this recipe, you’ll find yourself making them regularly. They freeze beautifully too, so batch-making becomes your secret weapon for busy weeknights. Trust me, you’ve got this.
