Calzone
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A calzone (Italian "stocking" or "trouser" or "drooping sack" or "hanging fold"[1]), also called ripieno (Italian "filling" or "stuffed"), is an Italian turnover made from pizza dough and stuffed with cheese (usually mozzarella cheese and Ricotta, but some varieties contain Parmesan, Provolone, or a locally substituted cheese), ham or salami, vegetables, or a variety of other stuffings. It often contains an egg, the yolk of which should be runny. It is typically served with marinara sauce on the side for dipping, or topped with garlic and parsley infused olive oil. The dough is folded over, sealed on one edge, salted, then fried.
In Italian the word calzone has three syllables, [kalˈtsone]. Pronunciations of the word in English vary greatly, with UK: /kælˈtsoʊni/ or /kælˈzoʊni/,[2] and US: /kælˈzoʊni/, /kælˈzoʊneɪ/, or /kælˈzoʊn/.[2][3]
Calzones are similar to stromboli, but traditionally the two are distinct dishes. A common misconception is that the ingredients are the primary difference between the two.[citation needed] The ingredients are actually at the discretion of the chef. Although most strombolis are rolled, strombolis have also been known to be prepared like a calzone, where the only difference is that a stromboli has the sauce inside of the folded crust, where the calzone is served with dipping sauce on the side.
[edit] Regional variations
Sandwich-sized calzoni are often sold at Italian lunch counters or by street vendors because they are easy to eat while standing or walking.[citation needed] Sweet versions, usually smaller and cookie-sized, are a specialty in the Marche.[citation needed] Fried versions typically filled with tomato and mozzarella, are made in Puglia and are called Panzerotti.[citation needed]
Somewhat related is the Sicilian cuddiruni or cudduruni pizza. This is stuffed with onions (or sometimes other vegetables such as potatoes or broccoli), anchovies, olives, cheese, mortadella: the rolled pizza dough is folded in two over the stuffing and the edge is braided, prior to frying.
In Middletown, Connecticut, several restaurants offer scacciata, which is similar to a calzone, but is filled with either broccoli, spinach, potatoes and onions, and sometimes sausage. Scacciata were once regularly prepared in Sicilian immigrant homes in Middletown's North End.
A popular dish from kebab shops in Scotland is a calzone stuffed with choices of döner meat, chicken tikka, shish kebab, or a mixture of all, usually served with spicy onions (commonly seen with popadoms). It has been known to be served with a dash of whiskey on top that is flambéed in front of the customer.
Some calzone recipes include more ricotta than any other ingredient; however, proportions are largely based on the chef's taste, so a calzone's contents can vary substantially from chef to chef.
The Pizza Hut restaurant chain offers a large calzone known as the P'zone. In America, the Hot Pockets brand of microwaveable turnovers are referred to as "Bread Stuffed Calzones" on the label.
[edit] See also
[edit] Notes
- ^ When it refers to the garment, the word normally occurs in the plural calzoni, like "trousers" does in English
- ^ a b dictionary.oed[dead link]
- ^ dictionary.com
