Savory and cheesy, this four cheese calzone is the ultimate cheese lovers dream! A blend of creamy mozzarella and fontina, sharp pecorino cheese and delicate ricotta are layered inside a perfectly golden pizza crust. And you must serve the cheese calzone with a side of marinara for dipping!
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About This Recipe
This four cheese calzone recipe is certainly a cheese lovers dream! The savory Italian classic features a delicious blend of mozzarella, salty pecorino, creamy fontina cheese and ricotta cheese encased in a perfectly golden pizza crust.
Serve the cheese calzone alongside your favorite marinara to dip into with a crisp arugula and parmesan salad and Italian fried peppers to start.
Recipe Highlights
- Lots of Cheese: This cheese calzone is a celebration of cheese, with four distinct varieties contributing their unique flavors and textures. Mozzarella melts very well, pecorino adds a salty kick, fontina is nutty and creamy, and ricotta brings its velvety texture and subtle sweetness into the mix.
- Easily Customizable: You can customize your calzone by adding your favorite ingredients. Try adding sautéed broccoli rabe or pesto broccolini, sautéed mushrooms or spinach, or thinly sliced prosciutto for a salty addition. The possibilities are endless!
- Weeknight Favorite: Both pizzas and calzones are weeknight favorites and made even easier with store bought pizza dough!
📋 Ingredients
- Pizza Dough: A good quality store bought pizza dough is all you need to make this calzone easily any night of the week. Take the time to leave the pizza dough out for at least 30 minutes, which will make the dough easier to roll out and stretch.
- Ricotta Cheese: Creamy ricotta cheese adds a velvety texture and a hint of sweetness to the savory blend of cheeses. If available, look for a "basket ricotta", which will be thicker and creamier.
- Mozzarella Cheese: Mozzarella cheese, known for its exceptional melting qualities, creates that iconic gooey and stretchy cheese pull in every bite. I like using a "dry mozzarella" which won't have excess moisture that risks weighting the dough down.
- Fontina Cheese: Fontina cheese is a melty Italian cheese that contributes a rich and mild creaminess. Fontina is delicious sliced on it's own and also makes a great addition to a really good mac and cheese.
- Pecorino Cheese: Pecorino is a hard Italian sheep's milk cheese that is salty and slightly pungent and a small grating goes a long way. If pecorino isn't available, substitute with Parmesan cheese.
- Olive Oil: A drizzle of olive oil ensures a beautiful, crisp texture with a perfectly golden crust.
- Marinara Sauce: New Yorkers dip their calzone in marinara sauce, so this is the time to use your favorite jarred or homemade marinara sauce!
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
🍋 Substitutions and Variations
- Cheese Variations: Feel free to experiment with different cheese combinations, such as gouda, buffalo mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
- Add Vegetables: Load up on vegetables such as roasted bell peppers, roasted zucchini or sautéed mushrooms.
- Meat Lover's Delight: If you're a carnivore, add some cooked Italian sausage, pepperoni, or thinly sliced prosciutto to the filling.
⏲️ Instructions
Step 1: Divide the dough in half, if making 2 calzones and roll out the pizza dough to a 9-10 inch circle. Then layer the four cheeses in the center.
Step 2: Fold the dough over, making a large pocket and crimp the edges around the calzone, making sure the calzone is completely sealed.
Step 3: Brush a thin layer of olive oil all over the top of the calzone and cut two small slits on the top of the dough.
Step 4: Bake the cheese calzone in a preheated 500 degree oven for 8-10 minutes, until the dough is golden brown and crisp.
📍 Recipe Tips
- Bring the Dough to Room Temperature: Bring the pizza dough to room temperature anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour before rolling it out. This will make the dough easier to stretch.
- Prevent Leakage: Seal the edges of the calzone well to prevent any cheese from oozing out during baking. You can use a fork to crimp the edges or fold and pinch them together.
- Preheat the Oven: At least 30 minutes before baking the calzone, preheat the oven to it's hottest setting and if you have a pizza stone, let that preheat in the oven as well. This will ensure a golden and crisp crust.
- Let the Calzone Rest: Allow the calzone to cool for a few minutes before slicing. This prevents the cheese from running out and burning your mouth.
Recipe FAQs
If you are eating a calzone on the east coast, you'll always find the tomato sauce on the side so you can dip the calzone into the sauce. However, in Italy, the sauce is often on the inside of the calzone.
To prevent calzones from getting soggy, it's important to use cheeses that don't have a lot of moisture to them. Use a dry mozzarella and a thick and creamy ricotta cheese that doesn't have excess water.
Serving Suggestions
- Appetizers: Make an Italian charcuterie platter or fried zucchini flowers.
- Salads: Homemade Caesar Salad or caprese salad with burrata.
- Wine Pairing: Enjoy with a glass of red wine like Chianti or a crisp white wine such as Pinot Grigio.
More Calzone and Pizza Recipes
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟rating in the recipe card below & a review in the comments section further down the page.
Four Cheese Calzone
LittleFerraroKitchen.com
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound pizza dough room temperature
- Flour for dusting
- 1 cup full fat ricotta cheese
- 8 ounces mozzarella cheese roughly shredded
- ½ cup fontina cheese shredded
- ¼ cup grated Pecorino cheese
- Olive oil for drizzling
- Marinara sauce for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit for at least 30 minutes before cooking.
- On a lightly floured surface, divide the pizza dough in half and stretch each dough ball into a 9-10 inch circle.
- Divide the cheeses amongst the stretch out doughs and layer the ricotta, mozzarella, fontina and Pecorino cheese towards the bottom center of the dough.
- Fold the dough over, creating a large pocket and use your fingers or a fork to crisp the edges all around the calzone, making sure the are no gaps and the cheese is enclosed.
- Brush on a thin layer of olive oil all over the top of the calzone and cut two small vents on the top of the dough.
- Place the calzones on a pizza stone or baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes, until the crust is crisp and golden brown.
- Once done, let the cheese calzones rest for at least 5 minutes before cutting.
- Serve with marinara sauce on the side.
Notes
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- Bring the Dough to Room Temperature: Bring the pizza dough to room temperature anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour before rolling it out. This will make the dough easier to stretch.
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- Prevent Leakage: Seal the edges of the calzone well to prevent any cheese from oozing out during baking. You can use a fork to crimp the edges or fold and pinch them together.
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- Preheat the Oven: At least 30 minutes before baking the calzone, preheat the oven to it's hottest setting and if you have a pizza stone, let that preheat in the oven as well. This will ensure a golden and crisp crust.
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- Let the Calzone Rest: Allow the calzone to cool for a few minutes before slicing. This prevents the cheese from running out and burning your mouth.
- Yields 2 large calzones.
Luv2cook says
Now we ordered our Pizza Stone a week ago and used it to make this Calzone last night. It was Delish. We got a pre made pizza dough, 16 Ounces and made 2 Fantastic calzone with it. If you love cheese this is the right recipe for you, it was for us.