For years I wasn’t really on the calzone train. Sure, I enjoyed them. But, to be honest, I always thought: “Why not just eat pizza? Same ingredients and I don’t need a fork.” And then one day I asked a friend who had an extensive calzone lineup. “They fly off the shelves as lunch specials,” he confided. “We rotate them. We add them as limited time
offerings during lunch. We bundle them with a side salad and a drink and they sell like crazy.”
He’s located at a busy city intersection with lots of foot traffic. Nearby offices supply him a steady stream of lunch business. It just made so much sense.
It doesn’t hurt that his calzones are light, airy, flavorful and strike just the right balance of being filling but not overly filling.
To that end, if you’d like to add calzones to your lineup let’s begin with a dedicated calzone dough. You’ll
appreciate the difference. Your customers will, too.
Calzone Dough
When determining which fillings to use, there are no rules. Just like your pizza — you are working with a blank canvas. From basic and traditional (mozzarella, pepperoni) to creative, what’s holding you back? This recipe featuring spinach, mushrooms, salami and Gouda is outstanding.
Gouda Calzone
While we’re branching out here from the typical calzone options, here is a recipe that Tony Gemignani authored for Pizza Today. The radicchio and balsamic play well together.
Radicchio Calzone
Get the Radicchio Calzone recipe.
Jeremy White is the Editor in Chief for Pizza Today.
