This recipe is kindly sponsored by Buddig™ as part of their 75th Anniversary Meal Maker Sweepstakes. The ideas, content and recipe are mine alone. #ThankYouMealMaker
So I think I've created a monster. A Pizza Calzone monster. My daughter is in mad love with these yummy pizza treats. I can't really blame her. Golden, soft dough filled with layers of zesty sauce, savory deli ham, meats and melty cheese. Yep, this recipe is a winner in my book, too.
Pizza Calzones = So Yum.
Let me preface this recipe by telling you my youngest daughter loves ham. Seriously. She loves it plain, on a sandwich, and for any general snacking purpose. So when I make a recipe that has ham in it, I'm almost guaranteed a homerun. Especially when I use thinly sliced deli ham and meats from Buddig.
Buddig is a family-owned company based in Homewood, Illinois. This year marks their 75th Anniversary, and they are extending their gratitude to America's "Meal Makers". You know, the people in our lives who have provided for us, made our meals, and brought our families closer together by that simple act.
Look for the "Submit Your Story" tab. Winners will be selected by the authenticity, relevance, audience appeal, video quality and the number of votes you receive.
- Grand Prize Winner - One winner will receive $25,000 plus a Prize Pack valued at $125
- First Prize - Four candidates will win $7,500 each
- Second Prize - Twenty entrants will receive $750
- Additional Prizes - Throughout the promotion, five people will be selected to win $75
You can also find details about the Meal Maker Sweepstakes on specially marked packages of Buddig products. Candidates must be 18 years or older at the time of entry. The promotion is open to applicants in all 50 states and the District of Columbia and is limited to one submission per household. The deadline for submission is Aug. 31 at 11:59 p.m. CST. To upload your video or get more information, be sure to visit Buddig.com.
How to Make Pizza Calzone Dough (with pics!):
Many people are intimidated when they hear the words "make your own dough". But they shouldn't be. Pizza dough is super easy to make, and who doesn't love the chance to get your hands a little messy? Here's our step-by-step guide on how to make calzone dough for this recipe.
1. Combine half of the flour with the yeast and other dry ingredients.
2. Add warm water.
3. Stir the mix together until it forms a sticky "goo". (Seriously, it will look like goo.)
4. Gradually add the rest of the flour, working it in with your hands until a dough forms.
5. Place the dough on a floured surface and knead with your hands for a few minutes.
6. When the calzone dough is smooth, form into a ball. (Cover with a warm, damp towel and let the dough rest while you prepare the filling.)
7. Cut the dough ball into 4 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a flat circle to about 8 inches across.
8. On the bottom half of the calzone dough circle, add the toppings.
9. Layer the sauce, ham, cheese and other toppings. Leave the outer edge of the dough uncovered by half an inch.
That's it! Making your own dough is really that easy as long as you follow the steps. The fillings you choose are totally up to you. For the Meat + Cheese Pizza Calzones, I picked ingredients I knew my family would love. The star of the show is savory ham from Buddig. We also used a package of their seasoned deli beef slices for more meaty flavor.
For the sauce, we prepared our Easy Pasta + Pizza Sauce, but feel free to use your favorite. Or no sauce at all.
Now time to finish the calzones. Once you have folded the top over, gently press and seal the two edges together. I like to fold and crimp the edges, pressing down to ensure they are tightly sealed. (You don't want any of your yummy filling to get out.)
More delish recipes to try:
The BEST Pizza Dough Ever
Marinara Meatball Skillet
Crockpot Lasagna Soup
Cheesy Stuffed Zucchini
Pressed Italian Sandwiches
To allow the steam to escape while the pizza calzones are baking, cut small slits into the top. Then, brush them lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt.
Bake to a gorgeous golden brown (about 20 minutes on 375 degrees). Cool on a wire rack to keep the bottoms nice and crisp.
Look at this! The dough is so warm and golden on the outside, with a slight salty-garlic taste. (Bonus, the smell of the pizza calzones baking is amazing. Everyone will be popping their head in the kitchen asking what you are making.)
Once they have cooled, time to slice and serve. These little pizza pockets are easy to eat, with the layers of tangy sauce, melty mozzarella cheese, and savory ham, beef and more. So good. like your favorite pizza all wrapped up in a soft, heavenly crust.
I like to serve Pizza Calzones with more sauce or ranch dressing on the side. They are so fun to dip. (Kids love these.)
More Calzone Flavor Combinations to Try:
- Ham, cheddar and ranch
- Turkey, broccoli and provolone (yum!)
- Ham and pineapple
- Ham, beef, sausage, bacon and pepperoni (meat lovers!)
- Mushroom, ham and swiss
No matter what calzone combo you pick, Buddig has a tasty selection of thinly sliced, premium deli meats for you.
I highly recommend making a double batch of Meat + Cheese Pizza Calzones. This recipe makes 4 individual calzones, but they were gone in a flash with the kids begging for more. Plus, they make excellent lunches if you want to make a few ahead while the oven is hot.
We would LOVE to hear about your favorite calzone toppings, so feel free to leave us a comment below.
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📖 Recipe
Meat + Cheese Pizza Calzones
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour divided
- 1 package pizza dough yeast
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¾ cup warm water
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 cups pizza sauce divided
- 8 ounces Buddig Deli Ham
- 4 ounces Buddig Deli Beef
- 2 ounces pepperoni sliced
- 8 ounces mozzarella cheese shredded
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place the oven rack in center position. Lightly grease a baking sheet and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine half of the flour with the yeast, sugar, salt and garlic powder. Stir until well combined.
- Pour in the water and one tablespoon of the olive oil. Stir until the wet and dry ingredients are incorporated. The mixture will be sticky and very wet.
- Gradually add the remaining flour, stirring and working with your hands until the mixture creates a soft dough. Gather the dough and transfer to a floured working surface.
- Knead the calzone dough with your hands for 3 - 5 minutes, until the dough is smooth and stretchy. Form into a ball and cover with a warm, damp towel.
- Prepare the remaining ingredients. If you are making your own sauce, do this now. Otherwise shred the cheese, chop the ingredients, etc.
- Once the calzone dough ball has risen and is puffy (about 20 minutes), cut it into four equal pieces.
- On the floured surface, roll each piece into an 8 inch circle.
- Top the bottom half of each circle with approximately ¼ cup of sauce. Then layer on ham, beef, pepperoni and shredded cheese. Leave the outside edge uncovered about half an inch.
- Pull the top half of the dough over the filling until the top edge meets the bottom edge. Press the two outside edges together, folding and crimping to seal the calzone.
- Repeat with the other three calzones. Transfer to the prepared baking pan. Cut slits into the top of each calzone.
- Brush the top of each calzone with the remaining olive oil. Sprinkle with the reserved sea salt.
- Bake on the center oven rack for 20 minutes until the calzones are golden brown. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool.
- Serve with the reserved pizza sauce and enjoy!
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