First time I ever had one of these doughy little parcels of goodness, I was sixteen. I was walking on a crowded street with school friends on a Saturday night in southern Italy. It was cold, the middle of winter kind of cold. Cold enough for the wind to whistle up my slightly too short jeans, and leave a chilled to the bone feeling.
My jeans in those days were frequently too short, as I was quite tall. So in winter time, the wind would whistle around my ankles, attaching its cold breathy fingers to me.
Biting into a calzone was the perfect antidote. Two bites in and you would reach the molten lava that is the tomatoey mixture inside. Hot enough for you to start gasping, waving a useless hand in front of your gaping mouth. Hoping to god, that the mouthful of food would cool in your mouth before you had to spit it out and look like an idiot. In those days I would choose burning the roof top of your mouth until all that remained was a flapping bloody mess of skin, over looking like an idiot any day.
These days, the jeans length has dropped. My ankles stay warm, I don’t tend to keep molten hot food in my mouth and the happy taste memory of calzone are still with me.
Calzone to make are dead easy. It’s basically a folded pizza. What ever you like on your pizza, can go in these. I used this olive oil bread dough, (I like making up extra bread dough and keeping some in the freezer for a quick weekend lunch.) Rolled out a rough circle, shoved some cooked tomatoes, salami, mozzarella in and then folded it over. Pinch the sides and place on an oiled or lined tray. Into the oven at 240C, cook until golden and sounds hollow.
Eat…when slightly cooler.
Submitted to the lovely yeast spotting.
cityhippyfarmgirl 
I like adding ricotta when I have it. I don’t like meat on my pizza, but I love it in calzones. Great crust!
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You’re right. Ricotta and something like spinach would be great!
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I love calzone – makes a good school lunch too! And Rufus, thanks – never thought to add ricotta before, but it makes perfect sense! 🙂
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That would be a bit more exciting than a vegemite sandwich now wouldn’t it 😉
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They look lovely, and I’m really impressed by your crimping skills, I’m sure mine wouldn’t look nearly that neat. In fact, mine would probably fall apart. It’s far too long since I had anything pizza like….
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ah, those crimping skills are not exactly flawless. It’s something like, squish, squish and hope for the best. Obviously I photographed the better side 🙂
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I love a good Calzone & this one looks perfection Brydie. Is there anything more delish than a seriously good Calzone huh – Ricotta huh., nice!. You’ve got a real way with pastries & breads girl, I’m super impressed – between you & Celia I’m so inspired to bite into these sorts of posts.
Loved your too short jeans bit – 🙂 Very pertinent for these disgustingly chilly winds off the snow lately – ICK!!!
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If it’s cold here it must be freeeezing in the ‘berra Anna. Definitely no time to be having pants that are too short!
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I’ll say 🙂 Time to drag out those long socks & be dammed with fashion I say 🙂
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I just happened to buy two pairs today!
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Ahhh yes, all those lovely memories of teenage years and the very sensible ideas we had back then….. Not! So glad they’re all behind me now!? :)))
Your calzones look so tasty Brydie. I’ve eaten them from restaurants a couple of times, but I’d bet that homemade would taste so much better.
I’ve even tried a dessert one with pears and white chocolate! Oooh good! But way too filling for a dessert.
Thanks so much for your visit on my return and your lovely comment. I had intended coming over here that day funnily enough, but never made it…….obviously! :)….but am trying to do the catch up now with everyone. x
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It’s so much easier being older isn’t it!
Dessert ones eh? I’ll have to have a little think about that….
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What a devine wintery, weekend lunch idea. Thanks.
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Glad you like them 🙂
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It has never occured to me to freeze bread dough to use later. What a wonderful idea. At what stage do you freeze it?
I can’t resist the sourdough urge any longer. My second starter isn’t ready yet (although I’m hopeful of some yeasty smells) so I’m going to bake with yours on Satruday / Sunday. Fingers crossed!
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Richard I’m not sure how it would work for a whole loaf with the dough, but it was only for the calzone so I wasn’t too bothered how it turned out, (like pizza dough). As long it kept the insides…inside.
Popped in the freezer just before I would normally shape it, then back to room temp before I use it.
Toes are crossed!
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never even think to make calzones – must try it – yours look so splendid I just want to take a bite – your italian holiday as a youngster sound like fun even if your mouth felt like a volcano had erupted in there
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Hot mouth, cold ankles. I remember it well…
I’ll bet your little girl would like to help make these Johanna.
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Hehe I’ve definitely been there and been soothed from the cold with a hot warming pocket of dough (for me it was a cheese knisch in New York). But I can see how the calzone would do the trick too very nicely! 🙂
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Now I had to look up what a cheese knisch was, but yes indeedy, I think that would certainly do the trick!
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I had a good giggle at your too short jeans as I suffered the same fate as a youngster – I am 6 foot tall today.
Your calzone looks incredible – I am trying to think of what’s my fridge that I could add to one today .
🙂 Mandy
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Ahh, good to hear of another tall lass in the world 🙂
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Lovely calzones, Brydie – the perfect antidote to the winter chill. I love them and they are such great belly-fillers for hungry teens.
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Don’t know why, but I can’t seem to make small calzones at home – somehow, my personal sized calzones turn out big enough for three!
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Hi Brydie, these calzones look fantastic. Kim and I will be making some for dinner tonight!
Gav x
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These look perfect!
I love calzones- mine are usually huge enough for 3 as well!
I am making pizza right now- the smell is so enticing- I wish it was done so we could all indulge!
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I hadn’t heard of calzone until last year, when my partner ordered it in Salzburg – but I was impressed with the concept. I tried making it earlier this year and was also happy with how easy it was, but yours look about 100 times better than mine did! The taste was good, but the crisp outside perfection was definitely missing. I’ll have to practice 🙂
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Yes, ours are always enormous, too!! Why is that?? Not that I’m complaining, it looks like we’ve made some serious food..enough for the neighbourhood when there are calzones in the oven. One of the best things about them is being able to stuff ‘burnables’ inside…basil leaves, sundried tomatoes etc and they end up soothingly soft and squishy. Oh, and mine always pop open at a particular crimp..nothing like the spiffy fellow you have up top 😉
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These look so good! I think I might have to make them for dinner tonight!
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Pingback: dressing for the season « Cityhippyfarmgirl
Cal-zone-me-up! I love these fellas, you get all the wonders of a good pizza but with more dough. Bonus. These look amazing Brydie and let’s not even go there with the spot on crimping. As a sideline, imagine how these would go at sporting events – a world away from the sloopy meat pies and sausage rolls. There we go, another business venture for you to juggle with your 1600 demands!
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Hot, tomatoey and doughy – sounds fantastic and would brighten my day no end.
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I have a couple of suggestions for the calzone. First, put two or three slashes on the top. Second, after sealing, use an egg white wash on the top of the calzone, in particular, on the seam. These two things can help prevent blowouts.
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YES. I am making this on Saturday. You make me hungry – and happy.
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man these look so good!!!!
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