Calzone napoletano
Calzone al forno
Naples' folded pizza: a half-moon of dough filled with ricotta, salami, fior di latte and black pepper, baked with a little tomato on top.
Recipe by I Want Some Food · Reviewed by the editorial kitchen. Native name preserved: Calzone al forno.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Rest
- 8 hr
- Total
- 8 hr 45 min
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spice
- No chilli
- Cost
- Weeknight budget$8–16 USD · indicative, not a store price
About
A calzone is a pizza folded over its filling and sealed into a half-moon before it goes in the oven. The Neapolitan filling is creamy and salty: fresh ricotta, Neapolitan salami cut into strips, diced fior di latte and plenty of black pepper, sometimes with a little grated Parmigiano. Drain the ricotta and the mozzarella well, because wet filling steams inside and makes the dough soggy or bursts the seam. Spread the dough, fill only one half, leaving a clean border, fold it over and press the edge firmly shut with your fingertips. A spoon of tomato and a basil leaf go on top, and a small cut lets the steam out. Done is a puffed, golden, blistered half-moon that you cut open to find hot, molten ricotta and cheese with salami, best eaten straight away.
What you'll need
12 ingredients. Tap each one once it's out on the bench.
- Dough
- Filling
- Topping
Ingredients
Dough
- Wheat flour, tipo 00300 g
- Water, cool190 ml
- Yeast, fresh, or a pinch of dried1 g
- Salt8 g
Filling
- Ricotta, drained in a sieve for an hour250 g
- Salami, Neapolitan salami, in strips100 g
- Mozzarella, fior di latte, diced and drained150 g
- Parmigiano Reggiano, grated (optional)20 g
- Black pepper, freshly ground4.9 ml
Topping
- Plum tomatoes, crushed, for the top80 g
- Basil4 leaf
- Olive oil, extra virgin15 ml
Scaling multiplies the written quantities. Baking still prefers a scale.
Steps
Step 1
Dissolve the yeast in the water, mix in the flour, then the salt, and knead until smooth. Cover and rise 2 hours, then divide into two balls and rise 6 hours more, or 24 hours in the fridge.
15 min
Step 2
Heat the oven to its highest setting with a steel or upturned tray inside for 40 minutes. Mix the ricotta with the pepper and Parmigiano, if using.
40 min280°C
Step 3
Press each ball out into a 28 cm round. Spread half with ricotta, leaving a 2 cm border, then the salami and mozzarella. Fold the empty half over and press the edge firmly shut. Cut a small slit in the top.
8 min
Step 4
Spoon a little tomato on top, add a basil leaf and a drizzle of oil. Bake 12–15 minutes at home, until puffed and golden with dark spots. Rest 2 minutes before cutting open.
15 min
Tip: A calzone needs longer than a flat pizza so the filling heats right through.
Nutrition
Per serving · estimate
- Calories
- 1259 kcal
- Protein
- 53 g
- Carbs
- 132.2 g
- Fat
- 56.3 g
- Saturated fat
- 24.8 g
- Fibre
- 6.8 g
- Sugar
- 5.3 g
- Sodium
- 3284 mg
Calculated from canonical ingredient data (USDA FoodData Central averages and equivalent published tables). Estimates only.
Allergens
Informational only. Not a medical guarantee. Cross-contamination happens in real kitchens.
- Wheat
- Milk
- Nut-free
Adapt this recipe
The original recipe stays as it is. Personal versions are labelled. Serving changes are simple maths.
Adaptations · 0 / 15 used. Resets 12 November.
Substitutions
Neapolitan salami → Mild salami or cooked ham
Ham makes a milder calzone, also common in Naples.
Tips
- Wet filling is the enemy: drain the ricotta and mozzarella well.
- Seal the edge by pressing and folding it over itself, like a pasty.
History & culture
Neapolitan pizzerias list the calzone with the pizzas, baked in the same wood oven, and serve it whole, one each. Its fried cousin, the pizza fritta, is sold from street stalls. In Puglia a 'calzone' is something else entirely: a large pie filled with onions, olives and anchovies.
The calzone has been part of Naples' pizza making since at least the nineteenth century: a pizza folded over its filling so it could be eaten in the street. The name means 'trouser leg' or 'stocking', for its shape. Ricotta and salami have been its filling for as long as anyone in Naples remembers.
Traditional — Ricotta, Neapolitan salami, fior di latte and black pepper, baked, with a little tomato on top.
Provenance: Editorial adaptation.
Questions about this recipe
Answers taken from this dish's times, amounts, swaps and tips.
How long does Calzone napoletano take?
8 hr 45 min all in — 30 min prep, 15 min cook, 8 hr rest. Cook and rest follow the method. Leftover storage and optional extra waits are not included.
How many does it serve?
The recipe is written for 2 calzoni. Scale the ingredient list on the page if you are cooking for a different number.
How hard is it?
Medium.
How spicy is it?
No chilli.
What allergens should I watch?
This recipe is labelled for Wheat, Milk. Labels are informational — check the packets in your kitchen. This is not medical advice.
Does it fit a diet?
The published recipe is labelled Nut-free.
6 more questionsFewer questions
What does it cost to cook?
Weeknight budget — about $8–16 USD, as a grocery budget for this recipe, not a restaurant price.
What equipment do I need?
Mixing bowl, Oven, Baking tray.
How much salt do I put in?
The recipe lists Salt at 8 g.
What can I use instead?
Neapolitan salami → Mild salami or cooked ham. Ham makes a milder calzone, also common in Naples.
Any tips from this recipe?
Wet filling is the enemy: drain the ricotta and mozzarella well. Seal the edge by pressing and folding it over itself, like a pasty.
Can I use an air fryer?
This method is not written for an air fryer. The core technique on the page still applies.
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