How to Make Calzones

Learn how to make homemade calzones with our easy-to-follow instructions. You can start by making homemade pizza crust or use store-bought crust to get a head start. Either way, the possibilities are endless for what you put inside; we’ve listed our tried-and-true recipe, but you can improvise according to your favorite meat and cheese pairings.

What you’ll need:

• Homemade Pizza Crust or store-bought pizza crust
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• ¼ lb salami, cut into thin strips
• ½ cup ricotta cheese
• ¼ cup chopped fresh basil leaves
• 2 plum (Roma) tomatoes, chopped
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• Freshly ground pepper
• Rolling pin
• 2 cookie sheets
• Pastry brush

How to:

1.    Heat oven to 375°F. Grease 2 cookie sheets with cooking spray. Divide dough into 6 equal parts. On lightly floured surface, roll each part into 7-inch round with floured rolling pin. On half of each dough round, place mozzarella cheese, salami, ricotta, basil and tomatoes to within 1 inch of edge. Sprinkle with pepper.

2. Carefully fold dough over filling; pinch edges or press with fork to seal securely. Place calzones on cookie sheets. Brush with egg. Bake about 25 minutes or until golden brown

Expert tips:

• If using homemade pizza crust, let dough stand 30 minutes after baking before making calzones.
• To freeze calzones for later, wrap in plastic wrap and transfer to freezer bag. Thaw calzones in refrigerator for a few hours before reheating.