Generally, I’m not a big fan of overly cheesy, gooey, and drippy foods, but if there is an exception to my (admittedly) lightly-held rule, it is the calzone. As a devout pizza aficionado, it’s natural that I’d love a calzone because at its core, it’s essentially a pizza that’s been folded up around its toppings. But it does go farther than that: The crust crisps up in a way that a pizza does not. Plus, there is a seemingly infinite number of ingredients you can use to stuff the dough; from simple cheese blends to sausage to sauteed veggies—they’re all amazing.
In this sourdough calzone recipe, I use my wood-fired oven pizza dough recipe as the base with just a few changes, and adapt the cooking process for making it in a wood-fired or home oven. This recipe makes six calzones, but the dough can be kept in the refrigerator after balling up for 3 or 4 days, so you can pull one ball out to make a calzone (or even pizza) as desired. Additionally, see the FAQ at the end of this post for tips on how to parbake a calzone for reheating later.
I’ve heard it said that a calzone is the only acceptable way to single-handedly eat copious amounts of cheese in a single sitting. I’d have to agree; it’s the most delicious form of rationalization. Baking a calzone in my Fontana Forni wood-fired oven.
Calzone is done when it’s golden brown and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
Bulk fermentation – 12:15 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. (3 hours)
At a warm room temperature, 74-76°F (23-24°C), bulk fermentation should take about 3 hours. At the end of this time, the dough will have risen moderately and be smooth with a few scattered bubbles. The dough will not be very well fermented at this point as compared to other sourdough bread doughs.
Due to the level of mixing and the hydration of this dough, it does not require any stretches and folds during bulk fermentation.
How to make a calzone in a wood-fired oven
I used my Fontana Forni Marinara (sponsors of this recipe–thank you!) wood-fired oven to make these calzones, and I have to say, using a wood-fired oven turns the flavor knob for this calzone up to max. Like pizza cooked with live fire, the crust crisps up more than it would in an oven, resulting in a beautiful golden brown color and a hint of smokiness.
To make this calzone recipe in a wood-fired oven, fire your oven to about 575°F (300°C) ambient temperature. Let the fire die down to just a few flames or a pile of embers so that the floor (the cooking surface) is between 550°F and 575°F (285°C and 300°C). When the floor reaches the right temperature, bake the calzone for 10 to 15 minutes, rotating once or twice to ensure even coloring on the crust. In between baking calzone, toss on a small log to keep the embers hot and the oven at the right temperature.
How to Tell When the Pizza is Done Baking
FAQ
Does a calzone take longer to cook than a pizza?
Why is my calzone soggy?
Should you flip a calzone?
Should calzones have sauce inside?