Calzone Weekend: A Delicious Experiment

I attempted to make a calzone last weekend, and I’m quite happy with how it turned out. The crust was good (I added some whole wheat flour, so the dough was heavier than usual), and the filling was flavorful. I did run into a small hiccup: the dough split open at the seams during baking. I suspect I should’ve added more vent holes on top to let the steam escape. Lesson definitely learned!

The Calzone experiment. Jep | Flickr

Here’s the recipe I used (disclaimer: I’m not claiming this is a traditional calzone - it’s more of a personal riff):

Dough (makes 2 large calzones, ~65% hydration)

- 400g bread flour

- 100g whole wheat flour

- 325ml water

- 2 tsp instant yeast

- 1 tsp salt

I can’t overstate how convenient a bread machine is, even if you’re not baking loaves. I just toss everything into the breadbasket, set it to the dough function, and let it run for about 1.5 hours. That covers mixing, kneading, and proofing in one go.

Ideally, you’d chill the dough overnight to allow for slow fermentation. This enhances gluten development, deepens flavor complexity, and results in a chewier, airier crust. But if you’re short on time, using the dough straight from the bread machine works just fine.

Filling (no strict measurements, adjust to taste)

- Store-bought pizza sauce (Del Monte)

- Salami slices

- Hungarian sausage (sliced)

- White onion (roughly chopped)

- Green pepper (cut into strips)

- Mozzarella cheese

- Eden quick-melt cheese

- Whole button mushrooms

- Dried basil, oregano, cracked black pepper spice mix

I purposely left out exact measurements since the filling is all about personal preference. I like to sauté the button mushrooms with the Hungarian sausage and half the onions first. This gives the mushrooms a boost of flavor from the Maillard reaction. The caramelization of the onions and browning of the meat add a savory depth that really shines through. You can mix the filling together before assembling, or layer it inside the dough like I did.

Despite the seam splitting, the calzones were a hit. Next time, I’ll be more generous with the vent holes to avoid steam buildup. It’s all part of the learning curve, and honestly, that’s more than half the fun.