Description
This Family Style Calzone is a hearty, shareable twist on the classic Italian calzone, baked in a casserole dish for easy serving. Layers of ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, and your favorite pizza toppings are enclosed in a golden, crispy pizza dough crust, making it perfect for a cozy family meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Crust
- 2 (13.8-oz) cans refrigerated pizza dough
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
Cheese Mixture
- 1½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 (15-oz) container ricotta cheese
- 1 (3-oz) can grated parmesan cheese
- 1 egg white
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning, divided
Toppings and Sauce
- Pizza toppings of your choice (such as pepperoni, mushrooms, peppers, onions)
- Pizza or spaghetti sauce for dipping
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare dish: Preheat your oven to 425ºF (218ºC) and lightly spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray to prevent sticking.
- Form bottom crust: Press one can of refrigerated pizza dough evenly into the bottom and up the sides of the prepared baking dish, creating the base shell for the calzone.
- Prepare cheese mixture: In a bowl, combine ricotta cheese, grated parmesan, half of the Italian seasoning, and the egg white. Mix thoroughly until smooth and evenly blended.
- Assemble layers: Sprinkle half of the shredded mozzarella over the dough base. Add half of your chosen pizza toppings evenly over the cheese. Spread the ricotta mixture on top of the toppings, then layer the remaining pizza toppings over the ricotta. Finally, sprinkle the rest of the mozzarella cheese on top.
- Seal with top crust: Unroll the second can of pizza dough and carefully place it over the layered filling in the baking dish. Press the edges of the top dough firmly against the bottom crust all around to seal the calzone. Use a sharp knife to cut a few slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape during baking.
- Bake initial phase: Place the calzone in the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes until the crust begins to set and slightly brown.
- Brush and season crust: Remove the calzone from the oven and brush the top crust with olive oil. Sprinkle the remaining Italian seasoning evenly over the crust for added flavor.
- Bake until golden: Return the calzone to the oven and bake for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and crispy.
- Cool and serve: Allow the calzone to cool slightly in the baking dish for easier slicing. Cut into portions and serve warm with pizza or spaghetti sauce on the side for dipping.
Notes
- Feel free to customize the pizza toppings to your family’s preferences, such as pepperoni, mushrooms, bell peppers, onions, or olives.
- Make sure to seal the edges of the dough well to prevent filling leakage during baking.
- Using egg white in the ricotta mixture helps bind the filling and adds structure.
- Brush the crust with olive oil for a glossy, flavorful finish and to help the seasoning stick.
- Allow the calzone to cool slightly before cutting to keep the filling intact.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 to 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
