Real Italian Calzones

Having owned an Italian restaurant/Pizzeria at one time, I can tell you: NO ITALIAN WOULD BE CAUGHT DEAD USING CHEDDAR CHEESE....AND NEVER, NEVER IN CALZONE. ONLY PURE RICOTTA CHEESE! Use one and one half cups of ricotta mixed with dash of pepper, salt, Italian sausage (or pepperoni is acceptable), one egg and dash of parsley and grated parmesan cheese. For those of you who don't want to be bothered making dough from scratch....buy the frozen bread dough. Just as good!

This was a good recipe. It does need a few adjustments. The recipe should state that the yeast should proof first. I dissolved the sugar in the water with the yeast and let it sit for ten minutes. I didn't use the same toppings, I used ground ham, spinach, a little mozarella, mushrooms and of course ricotta, which makes a "real Italian Calzone, and for a little extra yum, a dash or two of Italian dressing, but the dough was great for calzone. Very chewy and beautiful coloring. I made 4 calzones out of this but cut them in half, so next time I will make 8 small ones. Also it took only 20 minutes when I used my pizza stone, so time should be adjusted for the size of individual servings.

I absolutely love these, I make 'em every week. Instead of egg I brush the dough with olive oil, to me it makes a better crust for a calzone. I also use Mozzerella instead of Chedder.

Outstanding! Despite having a lot of cooking experience, I had never made pizza dough from scratch or a homemade calzone before tonight. What I did differently: Dough: slightly more yeast (Hodgson Mill All Natural Active Dry Yeast which was a 5/16 oz. pack); divided in four; rolled to 9" cirlcles Filling: used Italian 4-cheese blend; mixed and chilled cheeses, but not toppings; topped with different approximately 1 1/2 cups combined diced pepperoni, diced ham, canned mushrooms, canned and drained diced tomatoes, diced onions, and diced green peppers. Hints: use a lightly floured silicone baking mat - this lets you easily fold half the dough over the filling and transfer to baking sheet; use a small roller for small dough formations; spread your cheese down the middle and work toward one side of the round, adding toppings in the same manner; leave at least a half inch margin on side with filling; lightly brush that half's edge with some of the beaten egg to make sealing the edges easy; serve with a dipping sauce (like "Way Easy Pizza Sauce/Bread Stick Dip" also featured on allrecipes.com - see my review for how I doctored that to fit my tastes and better match my alterations to this calzone recipe). Bottom Line: This was really easy and worth the time required. Adapt to your own taste, keeping in mind the total volume of the filling.

Excellent recipe. Very easy if you let your bread machine do the work. I set mine on dough cycle thru 2nd rise. Instead of Cheddar, I use a blend of Mozzarella and Romano, add green onions and black olives. Yummy! Thanks for sharing this great recipe, Jenny. It has become a favorite of my friends and family!

I'll echo other reviewers in esteeming this dough recipe - it cooks to perfection - & that you can fill to your liking. My filling consisted of 1 cooked/cubed chic breast, oregano, cheddar & mozz cheeses, salt, pepper, garlic powder and I went ahead & put sauce on the INSIDE - sorry! The recipe made what I consider 4 large, very stuffed calzones. I guess I overstuffed but they turned out delicious and didn't overflow. Thanks for this idea!

To quote my husband, "This is the best calzone I've ever had!" I used Italian seasoning instead of the basil and cheddar and mozzarella instead of just chedder. I was very pleased to find this recipe because it's so hard to find a true Italian Calzone in my area. THANKS SO MUCH FOR SHARING!

These turned out great! I used honey in place of sugar and didn't need all the flour that was called for. I pricked the tops of the calzones with a fork before baking and brushed olive oil on top instead of eggs. I also made 4 medium calzones instead of 2 large ones and I baked them on a pizza stone. They turned out nice and cripsy! I will for sure make these again.

This was a very good recipe. This was the first time I'd ever made any sort of dough from scratch, and it turned out great. Instead of making 2 huge calzones, I cut the dough into smaller pieces and made 8 individual ones. I also modified the contents and I put sauce on the inside. It was excellent.

"Wow!!!! Great!" Those were the reactions I got from my family in between bites. These were delicious, really. To save time and effort, I used the dough hook on my mixer to knead the dough. This is a great (& fast) way to avoid having to add extra flour (as many mentioned having to do). I didn't add any extra flour and only lightly floured the surface I rolled it out on. For any yeast dough, it is better to avoid adding lots more flour, b/c this can produce a dry dough. For perfect circles, use a bowl to cut out the shape you want. I took the advice of another reviewer and brushed my calzones with olive oil in place of egg. I made 6 calzones- 4 smaller & 2 medium/large ones. I think they cook better when they are smaller and they only needed around 15 minutes. I thin those who said theirs came out hard, overcooked them. Even my larger ones didn't need more than 15 minutes. I also took the advice of many readers & packed them full with stuffing, so mine were not at all flat as in the picture, but rather looked more like large ravioli. For a vegetarian/kosher version, mix about 1 cup of ricotta w/ 1 cup of mozzerela and some chopped cooked broccoli. Thank you for this wonderful recipe & goodbye Sbarro's...

These were great! Sooo easy and extremely yummy! I use many different fillings when making them; whatever I have in my fridge at the time. I never leave out the ricotta though. And sometimes I substitute mozzarella cheese for the cheddar. My dough and filling makes 4 large calzones.

I am italian , I live in Italy and I am a cook. The real calzone is just mozzarella tomato and fresh basil. Thist one is a type of calzone made close to Naples. Not cheddar at all.. No one in Italy uses or know the cheddar.just mozzarella ricotta salame and egg....

I make these often using frozen pizza dough, substituting the proper cheeses (ricotta and mozzarella cheese, maybe some fontina and parmesan, but never cheddar) sometimes substituting prosciutto for the mushrooms or pepperoni. Delicioso!

If you want cheddar in your calzone, put it in there - cheddar is just a suggestion! Just a quick tip: Heat your oven to 200 degrees while you're preparing the dough then shut the oven off. Cover your prepared dough with a damp towel and place it in the oven on/in a bake-safe container for the time directed.

VERY good! While I consider myself fierce competition in the kitchen, I lack confidence when it comes to baking (pretty much anything to do with yeast!). To my surprise, this was MUCH easier to prepare than I thought it would be!!! My only (minor) hiccup was with my dough (mine was pretty sticky and in need of additional flour). NOTE: If you own a bread machine, allow it to do most of the work for you. Select your machine's dough / pizza dough cycle, medium loaf size. When it's ready, deflate your dough and continue on! HANDY TIPS: Mrsdi is correct. REAL calzones DO NOT contain cheddar cheese! Keeping that in mind, I followed her lead closely but also made some personal changes to suit my / our tastes. Instead of cheddar, I subbed shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese. I also decreased the pepperoni by HALF and added 1/4 c. of browned (mild) Italian sausage instead. I then added 1/4 t red pepper flakes, 1/2 t garlic powder, 3/4 t salt, a dash of pepper / parsley, a couple T of grated Parmesan cheese and an egg to bind everything together. I filled my calzones generously, leaving a half inch margin that I "sealed" with beaten egg (this helps the calzone "stick" together). I brushed my calzones with egg (no EVOO for me) and proceeded as directed. FANTASTIC! My hubs HATES ricotta and even he enjoyed these. :) If I can win over my picky husband, I know I did good lol! Jarred pizza sauce worked great for dunking. Thanks SO much for sharing your recipe, Jenny! :-)

A few changes as per others' suggestions. I used mozzerella and ricotta, omitted the cheddar. Also, I used sliced rather than diced pepperoni, and I sealed the calzones with some of the egg, which turned out perfectly. The dough was to die for and the whole thing really hit the spot, great recipe!

This is a good base calzone recipe, but I agree with the other reviewers, what "real" Italian uses cheddar cheese in their food?

OH MY GOODNESS! Are these the BEST or what! I've made them 3 times now and I have not once been disappointed. The recipe should probably just give a rough amount of filling that you can choose yourself because I think most people choose their own filling anyway. I used fresh mushrooms, pepperoni, pineapple, and basil. On 2 of the occasions I made these, I didn't have ricotta around so I used a small container of cottage cheese mixed with some honey (to help make up for that loss of sweetness in the ricotta) and half an egg. By doing that I had the other half to spread over the over outside of the calzone before baking. Thanks for sharing!

These were awesome! Instead of making into two large calzones, I made it into five smaller ones (although the "smaller" ones would be a good adult size portion). The kids had their friends over, so I cut them in half and each kid had only a half a calzone. I served them with exquisite pizza sauce from this site, which I had in the freezer from the last time we made homemade pizzas. I also sprinkled some parmesan cheese on top of the egg wash. Other than that, I followed the recipe exactly. I will definately be making these again.

As mrsdi said no Italian would use cheddar cheese in a recipe instead of Mozzarella. My parents too had a pizzeria, of course they were italian, and ricotta was utmost in our calzones. Fresh, natural and whole only. It was great as was this recipe.

These are so good....though I did make a few changes. I made the dough in the bread machine then divided it into thirds. I substituted shredded Mozzarella for the Cheddar and omitted the mushrooms. Oh, and I baked them on a preheated pizza stone. I served them with Exquisite Pizza Sauce for dipping. Our younger son told me I should open a restaurant because his calzone was the best he's ever had.

I live in Italy and found this recipe to be more American than Italian BUT my very American kids loved it. There is no yellow cheese here so I used Asiago and Ricotta as well as salamino instead of pepperoni. Great recipe for kid sleep overs.

Made this tonight - and even my picky 4 1/2 yr old ate his! The dough was super easy to make, and tasted great. I think I may add some italian seasoning to it next time..and there will be a next time! I used mozz in place of the cheddar & served w/ the easy pizza sauce III recipe from this site, w/ cindy18lou's mods. Super good - the only problem I can see is that there aren't any leftovers for tomorrow! UPDATE: Doubled the recipe w/ no trouble. I've found that the thinner you roll the dough, the better - almost to the point where it is about to tear.

This is an excellent recipe... with a few changes. You should replace the cheddar with buffalo mozzarella, and use fresh basil (torn by hand). Cook on a pizza stone, if you have one, as this will help to crisp the crust. And, if you have a well-calibrated oven, crank up the temperature by 5 degrees. Don't forget to preheat your oven at least 20 minutes before baking. Oh, one more thing, brush the tops of the calzones with olive oil. And don't forget to have your favorite tomato sauce on the side... It's a great little slice of Italy.

Really good! I would definitely add more than 1 1/2 cups of the ricotta, but a full 15oz container was a bit too much for my taste. In step (1), use a medium mixing bowl, not the small bowl the recipe recommends because it will have to accomodate 2 1/2 cups of flour and then some. When it comes time to fill the calzones, start with the rolled out dough on the cookie sheet because transferring the delicate vessels is difficult. Very good dough!

Delicious, great recipe! After brushing the top with the egg, I sprinkle on a little garlic salt for a little extra!

I divided into 8 pieces, still quite large, will try 12 or 16 next time to make it more of a snack size. I used spinach, ricotta cheese, pepperoni, garlic, Italian seasoning and mozzarella cheese for my filling. Baked for 25 minutes at 350 degrees. Really nice!

This was my first time making calzones, and also my first time making any kind of yeast bread. These were really good! I had a bit of trouble with the dough being too sticky, so I added 1/4 c. of flour. It was still really sticking to my floured hands and working surface. I decided I'd liberally oil my hands and surface - that made working with the dough MUCH easier. I like the fact that you can really play around with the fillings. I used about 2 c. Mozarella instead of the Cheddar, and mixed with the ricotta, basil, and some chopped pepperoni and mushrooms. Also, instead of making two huge calzones (and they really would have been enormous), I was able to make 7 individual ones. I took another reviewers suggestion and paired these with the Exquisite Pizza Sauce from this website. We topped our calzones with the sauce, and ate up! My only complaint besides the sticky dough was the time involded in preparing these. I work fulltime and have a 1-1/2 year old and a 3 year old, so I normally don't pick a recipe for dinner that takes more than about an hour from beginning to end. However, we all really did enjoy these, so I'd probably make them again on a weekend, when things aren't so hectic!! Thanks for the delicious recipe Jenny!

These are fantastic! I followed the recipe exactly, except for the pepperoni. The dough was PERFECT...I might season the filling a little more next time. Thanks!

This was so so. The crust was pretty tough, and the fillings run out when you cut into it. Probably will look for another Calzone recipe. Sorry

I thought these were excellent!!! I also made some changes though. To save time, I used Pillsbury Hot Roll Mix (boxed) and followed the pizza crust recipe on the side of the box. I also used mozzarella cheese instead of cheddar. Not only did they taste great but with the egg brushed on before baking they looked like they came out of a magazine.

1st try: 4 stars. I split the dough recipe in half and froze the other half and made two calzones (each being a quarter of the recipe). They came out too crispy b/c I rolled the dough out too thin and baked them for 30 minutes. 2nd try: 5 stars. This time the crust wasn't as thin and they were only baked for 20 minutes. Also, even though this was only half the dough recipe, we still made the full filling recipe. Perfect! Absolutely loved it.

I am Italian and I have never heard of Cheddar cheese being used in a Calzone. Mozzarella and ricotta, yes. I thought I would try this anyway. Just for me, I repeat, just for me, the Cheddar cheese does not work. I love cheddar, as a cheese, but it is out of place in a true Calzone. Sorry. JMO. It was far too slimy and greasy. A calzone cheese should be creamy. JMO. Perhaps if the portions were altered, it would work better. But I do not think I will try this recipe again.

The dough came out too thin. I had to add at least 3/4 cup more flour to get the right consistency.

These turned out really good. I tried brushing them with olive oil instead of the egg, but realized I should have done the egg to begin with. The olive oil makes it look dry, the egg on the other hand adds a nice golden color. Also, next time I will use less ricotta and more mozzarella (which I used instead of the cheddar). My husband loved them. Will make again

This crust was to DIE for!! I don't know what makes it so yummy but it was perfect! As for the filling, I was sketchy not using sauce since we are a sauce-loving family, but it was perfect! I offered warmed pasta sauce as a side.

made these this past week and my family just loved them! So delicious. The reason for the 4 star rating is because I did not use the pizza dough recipe listed here, but used my own instead. You just can't beat it so why change right? So I cannot comment on the pizza dough part. But for a tip, I did add dry italian spices and garlic powder to my dough as I was making it and the flavor was perfect for the calzones! Just throw them in while the dough is still fairly wet. Only other changes I made where as some other reviews suggested. I made 8 individual sized calzones. My kids do not like mushrooms and I'm not a huge pepperoni fan, so I made half with just the cheeses and pepperoni and the other with the cheeses, mushrooms and onions! I too did not use cheddar but used freshly grated parmesan and used the whole container of ricotta. Half a cup was just not enough for me. These also freeze and reheat well so you can make a double batch and freeze the extras! I will be doing that next time. Wonderful recipe! Thanks for submitting

Excellent recipe. I make this at least once per week for the family and it is enjoyed by everyone. I didn't have to tamper with this recipe.... everything was right on point!

Wow, I made these for the first time over a year ago--having NEVER used yeast and they turned out so yummy! My husband is Italian and loves pizza and we both thought these calzones were better than the ones we have eaten in restaurants. I followed the directions on the yeast package to "proof" the yeast and used ALL of a 15oz. package of Ricotta as suggested by others. I tried both Cheddar and Mozarella independently and each were really good. This one is a keeper!

this isnt the way mom made hers but its not bad. dump the cheddar...she would roll over in her grave if i tried this the mushrooms dont hurt but she just didnt use them and the ricotta was the main cheese ingredient ...she used her basic lasagna mixture and added whatever. her mother used to make this as DESSERT for easter dinner...too bad i never met grandma...yummmmm good luck...this recipe has no filling....mom used a baking pan...not the cheap little pie tin...more stuffing that way

This recipe was good, not great. I threw the recipe away. It was too much work for two little reward. I prefer calzones very cheesy. The bread was good. I used half whole wheat flour in one recipe and it came out good. I also made one batch with my own ingredients--broc., red peppers, spinach, and mushrooms. It was good, but again not cheesy and juicy enough for me.

i definately altered the filling recipe, but i gotta give it up for the dough recipe, it was delicious!!! inside i put mozzarella, ricotta, bell pepper, spinach, mushroom, garlic, onion, and sausage. heaven!!!!

wowee! you can't miss with this recipe. i made half with only cheddar/mozz for the kids and the other i made according to the recipe. we all dunked ours into sauce and it was just a huge hit! flavorful, pretty, super easy to make, dough was very forgiving and i too will use it for a pizza dough. thanks so much for making calzones our new favorite family dinner!

Very easy to make and very tasty. The dough took very little time and don't forget to proof the yeast first in the warm water 110 degrees and the sugar. I added a little homemade pesto to the filling as well.

It was only my second time making dough (the first dough was a fail, by the way) and it came out perfectly! I waited for the yeast to bubble with such anticipation... it was a success on my second attempt. I split the dough into 4 and the calzones where huge! I can't imagine making only 2 with all of that dough. I fill them with 1/2 c ricotta, 1.5 c shredded mozzarella, left over homemade meatballs, chopped up spinach, basil, black pepper and Italian seasoning. Like others, I painted on oil before placing in the oven instead of the egg. My boyfriend rated this a "great" meal, which meals a whole lot coming from him! I will definitely be making this again and changing up the fillings (or not).

Good but a real calzone besides eating the sauce on the side has mozzarella cheese not cheddar cheese!

My family loves these, we do pepperoni and bbq chicken, bacon, pineapple

These were so much easier to make than I anticipated. The dough came out beautiful and was so easy to work with. They baked up a golden brown and tasted so good. I did use cottage cheese (didn't have any ricotta), and after brushing the dough with egg, I sprinkled with garlic salt and parmesan cheese. Wonderful snack/lunch idea!

Fantastic- this came out perfect. The dough was just the right texture and flavor. The crust was crispy with just the right balance of sweet and savory. I followed the dough instructions to the letter and modified the fillings to suit. Hawaiian style will be my next try (pineapple/ham) and then meatballs...

I made the dough in my bread machine...came out great! Very easy to work with. However, the taste of the ricotta was a bit strange to me. I'm used to it in lasagna but not in a calzone. I paired with exquisite pizza sauce.

Dough was very nice to work with...took another reviews advice and sprinkled with parm cheese and garlic salt. My husband loved them and I can't wait to experiment with other fillings.

Grumpy really enjoyed these. I had to give it 4 stars though because he would not have eaten it if I had not put some sauce in the calzone.

Well the first time I did this it failed, only because dough and I do not get along. LOL .. I tried it a again a week later. WOW It is a keeper. I added 2 cloves of fresh garlic. Thank you for entering this recipe. :))

Alot of work to make, but worth the effort all the way! Thanks for sharing.

Definitely must add your personal favorite ingredients for stuffing. Also, make four smaller individual calzones instead of two HUGE ones!! I will be making this again...

Ohh, MY GOODNESS!! This is a mighty fine recipe and I'll be making it again and again. I like it better than any pizza I've ever made at home. I've never made a calzone and didn't know that it had ricotta. That was my favorite part of this recipe. I used pizza dough from Publix (BOGO free this week) and used a little more ricotta than called for. I used Sargento's Pizza Cheese instead of the cheddar. I did add some salt, pepper and garlic salt to the cheese mixture. I also layered very thinly sliced mushrooms and a pile of fresh baby spinach on the filling before closing it up. Oh my, you talk about great flavor and cutting the pepperoni up into tiny pieces really was perfect. Like I said, I'll be making this again and it's so versatile as long as you use the same cheesy mixture. The fillings could be of your choosing.. hamburger, ham, sausage, vegetarian.. put some onions, peppers and more inside. Thank you so much Jenny for posting this fantastic recipe.

To make this easier and faster, I used store bought pizza dough. I thought it even tasted better this way!

This recipe was so delicious! While I was preparing it, I kept thinking, this had better be worth it (it does take a little time/work)! And believe me, it was! I will be making this again very soon, so good!!!

I'm giving this five stars, not as a calzone, but as a pizza crust! I searched forever to find the perfect crust and here it is. It makes up quickly, no proofing of the yeast, and it stretches out nice and soft. Here are pizza making tips: make the pizza on parchment paper and slide the whole paper and pizza onto the preheated pizza stone, then when cooked, slide the whole thing off onto a cookie sheet. Done. Also, try tomato paste straight out of the jar instead of sauce. If your pizza gets too wet, it's gross. The paste gives a lot of tomato flavor without any wetness. Give it a try!

As the dad,I have tried this recipe twice now, and as the regular cook in the kitchen in my home, my two disabled children are requesting this meal on a regular basis. Thank you. You have 5 Yums Up from my home. I use my own alterations to keep it different each time: Alfredo instead of Pizza/Spaghetti Sauce, Mozzarella instead of Cheddar (preferred), Broccoli, toasted Garlic cloves, Baby Portobella Mushrooms, and Italian Sausage. I have even used ground (Wild Game)Turkey with fresh oregano and basil I grow on my window sill.

Absolutly mouth watering!! I purchased a small jar of spaghetti sauce for dipping and entire recipe tasted wonderful. I do wonder, however, whether everyone has noticed that the recipe directions describe making 2 calzones while the ingredients are actually scaled for 8. I can only assume that is why some people had such extra large calzones!!

This was one of the best calzones I have made!!We are vegetarians so I used Vegetarian link sausage and it was delish!!

very yummy! It's really easy with a Kitchen-Aid mixer to do all the kneading! :) My husband and 3 year old loved it! It's gonna end up being a "company dish" that we make when we have couples over for dinner.

Yummy! I rolled the dough into four 8" circles but could have definitely doubled the filling amount. I also added sauteed peppers, onions and garlic and 1/2 cup of spaghetti sauce. I used the cheddar and thought it was delicious, but next time I think I'll use both cheddar and mozza. Very filling and teenager friendly!

This is a fantastic dough recipe just by itself. However, this does not make enough for 8 servings. It makes 2 mid sized calzones. I did again and scaled to 12 servings for 2 large calzone. Worked beautifully in my bread machine on the dough cycle. For the filling I substituted seasoned baked chicken, mozzarella and parmesan,and added some pesto to this mixture. I've also done with pizza sauce but we prefered the pesto or no sauce at all. The addition of the ricotta to the filling is wonderful! Will definitely make often.

This is a very good recipe, although I did make modifications, as did many others. First, I made four calzones instead of two. I also upped the ricotta by a LOT, using 1/2 cup PER CALZONE, for a total of 2 cups in the whole recipes. I made a couple vegetarian and a couple with pepperoni, and served sauce on the side. I will make this again and again, I am sure.

I thought this was fabulous. I left out the cheddar and added parmesan and some seasoning.

My boyfriend could not believe that I made the crust for these. It turned out so well! I added extra cheese and used fresh basil. I diced the mushrooms and added diced red pepper as well. I have also used this crust recipe and filled it with ham and cheese and served it with a honey mustard sauce for dipping. So many things you can do with this recipe. Wonderful.

This was a great recipe for Calzone Dough. I love to cook but baking is something a bit scary to me. This dough was so easy and used things I always have in my house. The dough almost tripled in size so quickly too. I stuffed my calzones with Spinach, Chicken and Mushrooms and just amazed my boyfriend! I will tell everyone about these!!

These were fantastic...my husband's new favorite meal. I used 2 cups of shredded mozzarella instead of cheddar, and substituted 1 diced green pepper, and half of a red onion diced instead of the mushrooms. Because of this it made more filling, and I only used half of it and saved the rest for another meal. Making just 2 calzones does make particularly huge ones--my husband who can eat alot ate his whole one and I made it through half of mine. I made another batch of dough a few days later to finish up the rest of the filling and made 4 instead of 2, and they cooked a little faster. We did dip them in marinara sauce at the table which was great, and I might try adding some diced tomatoes next time, but they were delicious the way they were! **oh yeah, and I also sprinkled the tops with a little some rosemary and fresh ground pepper before cooking which was a nice touch.

Wow! I loved this recipe. I made some changes to make it healthier, though. I used whole-wheat flour instead of all-purpose and honey instead of white sugar. I also left out the mushrooms (don't like them) and substituted a package of frozen spinach (thawed) for the ricotta. The calzones baked up fluffy and delicious. I would recommend dividing the dough into four pieces instead of two so that you end up with nicer leftovers. I will definitely make this again!

This recipe is a life saver .I used refrigerated pilsbury pizza dough b/c I didn't have time to make it.It turned out wonderful and it's easy and took like 15 minutes to prepare.Uber yummy quick and easy.

Fabulous! I used mozerella instead of cheddar. I didn't have ricotta so I just mashed up some cottage cheese. There is a lot of basil in it but it works. Also, the bread is wonderful. I made sure I kneaded it for the 5 minutes and it rose quickly in the window where it was warm. My boyfriend said, "I really, really, really like this". I'll make this again!

I can't give this review enough stars. I made small calzones, using a round sandwhich cutter. I made my own changes (ofcourse), I used 1 lb. hot turkey sausage ~ but still added about 1/4 cup pepperoni, added garlic, used cottage cheese instead of ricotta & increased the cheese by about 1/2 cup. They were so delicious & we ate all of them in one night.

I had to add a second review because this time I followed the recipe except for the mushrooms, we used onions instead---boy was this good!!! I will continue to use this recipe and try different fillings, maybe chicken and brocolli next--my husband loved it!-----First review--> I thought this recipe was very good-however I made a few changes because I did not have everything on hand. I followed the dough recipe without changes and thought it came out great. I used some buffalo chicken sausage with pineapple, onions, peppers, mozarella and a spoonful of cottage cheese (you can't even taste it). I egg washed the top and topped with some garlic salt, garlic powder and pepper...with a bit more shredded mozarella--came out gorgeous! We also used our favorite tomato sauce to dip the calzone in-my husband loved it! This recipe is so versatile--have fun with it. Thanks for sharing Jenny.....

Excellent! I ended up using Mozzerella cheese instead of cheddar and then used canadian bacon and pineapple and ricotta cheese. I think you could use any kind of toppings with this recipe. I will make this again forsure!

This makes the best dough! I filled our calzones with our favorite fillings, but used this as our dough. Everyone loved it and I'll definitely use this recipe again!

Crust was amazing!! Better than I ever could have hoped. Next time I will probably put tomato sauce in wih the filling. But a really great recipe. Be ready for LARGE calzones!! :)

I made four of these for my family and it was pretty good. I did the recipe for the crust as directed, but it did come out a little too hard. I modified the inside (I have a VERY picky family) but doing a layer of pepperoni, sprinkle of basil, thick layer of Mozzarella shredded cheese, another layer of pepperoni, and another sprinkle of basil, then fold. And pizza sauce for dipping. YUM! I think I'd make this again, maybe add some mushrooms, ham, sausage, etc. The only thing that I really didn't like was the overly crunchy crust, so if you like it a little more moist don't leave it in for the full 30 minutes.

Used parmesan and mozzarella cheese instead because I didn't have any ricotta. It was still great!

This has to be one of the easiest calzone recipes I've ever tried, and it was delicious! I substituted spinach and mushrooms sauteed with garlic (be sure to drain it well!) for the pepperoni, etc. and, of course, used mozzarella cheese instead of cheddar, and it was a big hit with a bowl of chix. soup one night for dinner. I served the second one on Superbowl Sunday with a bunch of other appetizers and it was a big hit then, too! The dough is a real winner!

The dough is great. Do what you want to the insides.

These are the best! Better than pizzas! I doubled the recipe since I was cooking for a lot of people. I made smaller calzones, but they were still quite large. With a doubled recipe, I made 7 calzones, and my nephews made 2 small pizzas with extra dough. I stuffed them directly on a parchment-lined cookie sheet so I wouldn't have to transfer them. I used mozzarella & parmesan cheese with the ricotta along with Italian sausage, pepperoni, sauteed red onion with green & red bell peppers plus lots of fresh basil. Be sure to stuff them real good cause they grow! Thank you very much for this recipe.

Very good! I omitted the cheddar and replaced that with a shredded Italian cheese blend. (Family preference) and added some dried thyme, oregano, and garlic powder. This is my first time working with this kind of dough and I didn't realized how big it would roll out to! I will be making this again

Doubled the dough because we had guest and everyone added what they liked to the inside. It was a big hit

This was my first ever calzone attempt (I'm a newlywed), and I was SO happy with how easy and cheap this was to make. And the pay off was awesome- totally delicious. I wasn't too big on the basil flavoring that probably gives it its authentic italian taste; I used a pinch of a regular Italian Spice that you can find at any old grocery store. Also, the recipe calls for cheddar and my husband really liked it...but for you picky people out there like me, mozzerella might give you more of a classic pizza flavor. Love this recipe- we just had it 2 nights ago and I'm planning to make it next week already!

I love this recipe! It has become one of mine and my husband's favorite meals. He gets so excited when I make them. I substitute the chedaar for mozzarella and I also make them with our favorite pizza ingredients.

The bread portion of these turned out great. This is the first time I've ever used egg to create the golden brown glaze during baking. They looked gorgeous. Next time I will probably double the recipe. I made four smaller calzones instead of the two large called for in the recipe. Though the smaller calzones were still good, forming larger calzones would emphasize the stuffing more so than the breading, which some might prefer. Obviously, make sure you like ricotta cheese. Dipping the calzones in sauce rather than including it in the stuffing was OK, but I prefer the approach of including sauce in the stuffing. I will find a recipe that uses that approach next time I make calzones. All in all, these were very good - but not five-star.

Great calzone recipe! Made it several times, each time was delicious! After you add the yeast to the water you have to let it proof (let it get foamy) for 5-10 min otherwise it won't rise properly. I tried olive oil instead of the egg wash before baking and it didn't get hard and shiny like with the egg which wasn't as pretty. I also sprinkled italian seasoning over the egg wash, which looked beautiful. Also, once the calzones were assembled I got distracted and let them sit for a while before putting them in the oven, which caused the crust to rise even more and get very bready! Not as good! You can pretty much any filling in this. I like to add the cheese last so it will melt over the other fillings. Makes 2 GIANT calzones!

Not only was this recipe easy to make, it was also delicious. I especially like how versatile it is. I used green pepper instead of pepperoni and combined mozzarella cheese with the cheddar and it was amazing!

The calzone dough was amazing! (easy to work w/ & a nice consistency) I threw all the dough ingredients in my bread machine & let it do the work. I brushed EVOO over them before baking. (no egg) I will be making regularly!!! Next time I will try the filling. This time I tried the new cooking creme from Phillidelphia Cream Cheese in the Savory Garlic Flavor (recipe on top of pkg)

These were good. I did proof the yeast first. They could have used more filling. I used a mix of Mozz with the cheddar and I will use more next time. I also will also put some sauce into them. (I know that's not a Calzone but that's how we like them.) thanks for the recipe. I will make them again.

This recipe is easy and delish! The dough is perfect for the calzone. I switched out the cheddar for mozzerella cheese with the ricotta. You could fill the dough with anything you want, though. Keep in mind that these get HUGE when they cook so what looks like a small calzone will be mammoth when it's done. This is a great meal for any night but would also impress guests!

They were okay - need to roll thinner next time. Also, tried olive oil per another review, but will try egg next time.

Oh my Calhonzy ! Cheddar cheese ? Not unless I want to get whacked at my home. Other wise it's a good recipe and the dough works good. I cut in fourth's roll out the little balls and fill with with good Italian sausage, mozzarella and Ricotta. and follow the rest of the recipe. No pepperoni, however, which in Italian is a "pepper", no such sausage in Italy. But when in America do as the Americans.

I even used the dough recipe for pizza. thanks

my husband really liked these. I didn't do pepperoni, added mozz. cheese instead of cheddar, and added spinach and feta to the mixture. very tasty and versatile. Used dried basil, as I didn't have fresh.

Good! I used one cup of whole wheat flour in the crust. I doubled the ricotta and used 1/4 cup red onions instead of mushrooms. I made 4 calzones instead of 2. I also brushed the tops with olive oil instead of egg. Served with Trader Joe's organic marinara sauce for dipping.

I basically only used the dough portion of this recipe and we loved it! I made the dough in the bread machine and that worked out very well. I did a one filled w/ steak, onions, mushrooms, ricotta, provolone and mozzarella, and the other filled w/ a mixture of cooked spinach, onions, garlic and pepperoni, ricotta, provolone and mozzarella. Both were a hit! I brushed them w/ olive oil before baking instead of the egg. I will be using this dough recipe again! Thanks for sharing. :)