Calzone

The calzone was invented in 18th Century Naples as a neatly contained, on-the-go variation of pizza. Its name speaks to its portability, translating roughly to “trousers” or “pants legs.” It is made from a piece of pizza dough that has been folded into a half moon shape, like a large empanada, around a variety of fillings.

This recipe uses a homemade pizza dough, which has a beautifully complex flavor and is easy to work with thanks to not one but two overnight rises. While that may sound like a long time, it is almost completely hands-off. Don’t worry though! You can substitute store bought pizza dough or use your own favorite dough recipe instead.

Ingredients:

For the Pizza Dough

• 1 3/4 cups warm water (105 to 112 F)
• 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 3 cups (360 grams) bread flour
• 3 cups (340 grams) 00 flour or all-purpose flour (360 grams), plus more for dusting
• 2 teaspoons fine salt
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

For the Calzoni

• 12 ounces low-moisture, part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 3 cups)
• 1 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
• 1 teaspoon fine salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 16 thin slices soppressata or Italian dry salami
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 cup marinara sauce