Large Calzone 14″ with Ham and Cheese

14″ Calzone with Ham and Cheese with fresh grated Parmesan and chopped Parsley.

The Best Calzone

Make no mistake about it, I have cracked the code to making the most amazing Calzones and it all starts with this Pizza Dough Recipe. Anyone that has used this dough has raved about it so, you should definitely start with that. This Calzone recipe, however, is a basic guide to teach you how to make the best Calzone through and through. Feel free to add or substitute anything you want for the filling but, I highly recommend that you stick with the Ricotta, the Mozzarella and EVERYTHING else about this recipe, so your Calzone will be amazing, too.

Be sure to check out my Stromboli Supreme and, if you’re interested all of Pizza recipes including: Nacho Pizza, Bacon Cheeseburger Pizza and my famous Margherita Pizza. I’ve even got recipes for Ramen Pizza , Pizza Tacos and Italian Cheese Bread.

If you like Chicken Wings with your Pizza, check out my classic Buffalo Chicken Wings, Honey Chipotle Chicken Wings, Wasabi Chicken Wings and/or my Ranch Chicken Wings. These recipes are easy and they’re the best!

YouTube video for a Large 14″ Calzone with Ham and Cheese by PoorMansGourmet.

Ham and Cheese Calzone Ingredients:

1 Pizza Dough, 14″ pizza
4 pc Ham, thinly sliced
8 oz Mozzarella Cheese, grated
2 tbsp Ricotta Cheese
Kosher Salt and Pepper to taste the Ricotta and Mozzarella Cheese.

Egg Wash
1 egg, beaten
Kosher Salt and Pepper the outside of the Calzone before baking.

Topping
2 tbsp Olive Oil
1 tsp Italian Seasoning
1 Garlic Clove, chopped
1 pinch Kosher Salt & Pepper

1 tbsp Parmesan Cheese, freshly grated
1 tbsp Fresh Parsley, chopped

Be sure to follow the instructions in the Calzone video tutorial and bake at 475° Fahrenheit for 7 to 10 minutes or until golden brown, then slice and serve.

Canoe Calzone

Canoe Calzone

Open Faced Calzone

A Canoe Calzone.  Yup, that’s what I’m calling it.  And isn’t the name so fitting.  Sure, maybe this really exists somewhere else and maybe it’s even got another name, but for now, this is how I’ll refer to it.  The truth is, I didn’t come up with it either.  When I sat down and ordered a Calzone off a Menu at a Restaurant here recently, this is how it came, more or less.  And I felt like it was a good idea, minus the Marinara Sauce they served because it really sucked.  But if you want to serve yours with Marinara or Pizza Sauce, more power to ya.  I’m sure your recipe will taste just fine.  But, if you need a Pizza Sauce recipe, I’ve got one for you.  Just CLICK HERE!  Also, if you are needing a Pizza Dough recipe CLICK HERE as well for the original post, because you are going to need one if you’re going to make this Canoe Calzone Recipe.  You can also make one giant calzone by following this recipe.

You really won’t need any other ingredients list to make these Calzones, because you can put anything you want in them.  So I’ll just include the tutorial on how to fold them below.  And I might as well double stack the videos for you so you can see how to make the dough.  It’s an old video, but it’s accurate.  Let me know how you like these Canoe Calzones in the Comments.

Calzones- Saucey, Meaty, Golden Brown and Cheesy

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Alrighty then; so here we have it, the infamous Calzones!  Now, for me these are to pizza what Beer is to football; I just GOTTA have one!  So if you’re anything like me, meaning you LOVE’s the football, how can you go wrong with packing an oven full of calzones on game day?  Hell, they even look like little footballs, don’t even try to deny it!  But I know the day of the game everyone is ordering their favorite pizza, but a lot of the regular fast action deliveries don’t have calzones on the menu.  So… whatcha-gunna do now??  Well read on and I’ll tell you how to solve this little problem, because with this recipe and my step by step how to video it’s literally as easy as hut-hut-HIKE!

Combine the following and let it stand 10 min. to activate.
You’ll know it’s activated if it doubles in size.

1 tsp. dry yeast
1 tsp. granulated sugar
1/4 cup hot water 110 degrees f

Separate bowl Combine in the following order

1 cup hot water 110 degree (hot water out of your tap is fine)
3 cups BREAD flour (this is key, use bread flower)
1 tsp granulated sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp Italian Seasoning (Thyme, Rosemary, Marjoram etc.)
1/2 tsp garlic powder

To make the Calzone dough, add the activated yeast and mix all ingredients together in a mixer or knead it by hand. It’s designed to be a little sticky, so adding a few tbls. of flour here and there to get it to a desired pizza dough consistency is normal if you need to. Roll the dough into a ball and thinly coat 2 tbls of olive oil on the outside to prevent dryness and cracking. Now just let it rise for the next hour or so, or even refrigerate if you’re wanting it for later. Just be sure the dough gets to room temperature and practically doubles in size before you roll it out for Calzones. Roll it out thin; maybe an 1/8 to 1/4 of an inch, TOPS! Next, throw down your favorite sauce (spaghetti sauce will even work), meats, veggies, whatever. Most use Mozzarella cheese but if you can 50/50 with Provolone, that’s the way to go, trust me; even Ricotta cheese is fantastic, especially if you use prosciutto.  At this point all you have to do is close the Calzone by folding the dough in half and pinch the sides all the way around the pocket(pie crust style), then cut a few slits in the top so the air can escape while it bakes.  Preheat oven to 500 degrees and baste the calzone/Calzone’s with egg wash while the temperature rises.  Egg wash is just a whipped egg and 1 Tbls of milk.  At this point if you’d like, you can call it good or you can throw down some sesame seeds over the top before the final bake.   A wooden slate or stone is best for baking but a pan works just fine. About 8 to 10 minutes is all it’s going to take for you to enjoy the final product.  I like to keep my eye on it and bake it ‘till it’s a nice golden shiny brown!  Either way, you’ll thank me!