Kitchen Recipe Collection
Italian Calzone Napoletano
A classic Neapolitan folded pizza, baked until the crust is blistered and puffed, filled with a molten core of ricotta, salami, and mozzarella.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 35 min
- Servings
- 2
- Difficulty
- medium
- Cuisine
- italian
Ingredients
Scaled for 2 servings
- pizza dough (Neapolitan style)
- ricotta cheese (drained)
- salame Napoli (diced)
- fresh mozzarella or provola (diced)
- parmesan cheese (grated)
- tomato passata (for the top)
- black pepper
- extra virgin olive oil
Equipment
- Pizza stone or baking steel
- Pizza peel
Instructions
- 1
Preheat Oven
Place a pizza stone in your oven and preheat to the absolute maximum temperature (500°F/260°C or higher) for at least 45 minutes.
- 2
Prepare Filling
In a bowl, mix the drained ricotta, diced salami, diced mozzarella, grated Parmesan, and a generous amount of black pepper. Do not add salt (salami and cheese are salty).
- 3
Stretch Dough
Take a ball of room-temperature pizza dough. Stretch it gently into a 10-inch circle, keeping the edges slightly thicker.
- 4
Add Filling
Spoon the ricotta mixture onto one half of the dough circle, leaving a 1-inch border around the edge.
- 5
Fold and Seal
Fold the empty half of the dough over the filling to create a half-moon. Press the edges together firmly. You can crimp or fold the edge back over itself to ensure it doesn't burst.
- 6
Top the Calzone
Traditionally, a spoonful of tomato passata is smeared over the top of the calzone, along with a drizzle of olive oil.
- 7
Transfer to Oven
Use a floured pizza peel to quickly slide the calzone onto the hot baking stone.
- 8
Bake
Bake for 10-15 minutes until the dough is puffed up like a balloon, blistered, and deep golden brown.
- 9
Rest
Remove from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes. The inside is filled with scalding steam.
- 10
Serve
Serve hot. Slicing it open should reveal a creamy, stringy, molten center.
Cooking Tips
- The ricotta MUST be drained well, or the steam inside the calzone will turn it into soup and burst the dough.
- The tomato sauce goes on the OUTSIDE in Naples, not on the inside.
Variations
- Calzone Fritto: In Naples, this exact preparation is often deep-fried instead of baked, creating a 'Pizza Fritta'.
Chef's Notes & Storage
- The calzone was invented as a practical way to eat pizza while walking around the streets of Naples.
Nutrition Estimate
750 calories · 35g protein · 70g carbs · 32g fat · 4g fiber per serving
