Calzone
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A calzone (Italian "stocking" or "trouser" or "drooping sack" or "hanging fold"[1]) is a turnover that originates from Italy. It is made of ingredients similar to pizza,[2] folded over and shaped like a crescent before being cooked.[3] The typical calzone is stuffed with tomato and mozzarella, and may include other ingredients usually associated with pizza toppings.
In Italian the word calzone has three syllables, [kalˈtsone]. Pronunciations of the word in English vary greatly, with English pronunciation: /kælˈtsoʊni/ or /kælˈzoʊni/,[4] and English pronunciation: /kælˈzoʊni/, /kælˈzoʊneɪ/, or /kælˈzoʊn/.
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.
Calzone in the United States
In the United States, calzone are typically 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 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 baked in an oven.
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 calzone has the sauce on the side, where the stromboli is served with sauce on the inside of the folded crust.[citation needed]
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.[citation needed]
Calzone in the UK
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.[citation needed]