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This Mini Calzones recipe (aka Panzerotti) is easy to make, kid friendly and a weeknight family favourite. Roll out homemade or store-bought dough, fill with your favourite pizza toppings, seal and then fry until golden and crispy.
Let’s be real for a second. Mini calzones are basically adult pizza pockets and I am here for it. Basically, it’s everything we know and love about a pizza, folded into a delicious warm pocket. Truth be told, these little calzones hate to see me coming at any party!
🍕 Why You’ll Love These Mini Calzones
Easy prep: opt for store-bough pizza dough, and these are an easy and delicious party appetizer or quick dinner.
Customizable: endless filling possibilities.
Kid friendly: kids love this fun take on a classic pizza recipe.
🗒 Ingredients You’ll Need To Make Mini Calzones
Pizza dough: creates the pockets to hold the sauce, cheese and filling.
Canola oil: used to fry these mini calzones until golden and crispy.
Flour: used to add to your work surface and prevent the dough from sticking.
Parmesan cheese: can be incorporated into the filling or sprinkled on top.
Pizza sauce: used in the mini calzones and on the side for dipping.
Mozzarella: creates a creamy, stringy texture.
Ham: or any other toppings you want to add, such as pepperoni, mushrooms, peppers, or onions.
✓ How To Make Mini Calzones
- Prepare the dough: divide the pizza dough into similar sized pieces and allow to rise.
- Prepare the fillings: shred the cheese, prepare the sauce and chop the meats and veggies.
- Roll & fill: roll each dough ball into a small even circle. Add the pizza sauce, cheese, and your favourite pizza toppings.
- Fry: working in small batches, fry the calzones until golden, crispy and cooked throughout.
👉🏻 Tips to elevate your mini calzones
- If you aren’t interested in whipping up homemade pizza dough, drop in to your local pizza place. A lot of local pizza places sell homemade dough that can be frozen or used fresh which is a game changer for this mini calzones recipe.
- Use high quality ingredients such as fresh mozzarella, artisanal ham and a high-quality store-bought pizza sauce.
🗒️ Variations
- Classic fillings: use classic pizza toppings such as green peppers, olives, onions, mushrooms and pepperoni.
- Breakfast calzones: stuff these with bacon, eggs and cheese.
🤝 Pairs Well With
🤔 FAQ’s
Originating in Italy, panzerotti are essentially savoury turnovers. Often filled with tomato sauce and pizza toppings.
Panzerotti are often smaller and fried while calzones are typically larger and baked in the oven.
Specifically pizza-like toppings such as mozzarella, pepperoni, and mushrooms. Moreover, you can experiment with other fillings that you prefer..
To begin with, the crust should be golden brown and crispy. Also, the internal temperature should be about 165°F to ensure the centre is fully cooked.
Certainly! First, allow them to cool entirely. Then, wrap them individually with plastic wrap. Add them to a freezer safe bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
Absolutely! First, preheat your oven to 375°F. Then, place the prepared mini calzones on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Next, brush the tops with a simple egg wash to ensure they become golden and crispy. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Finally, allow the calzones to cool for 5 minutes before serving.
🍴 Leftovers? Lucky you.
Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. To reheat simply bake in a 375 degree oven for 15-20 minutes, or until warm.
👩🏻🍳 Hungry For More?
Enjoyed this recipe? Then you’ll love these other recipes too:
Mini Calzones (Panzerotti)
Equipment
- 1 Large frying pan
Ingredients
Pizza:
- 1 lb pizza dough,
- 3-4 cups canola or vegetable oil, for frying
- flour, for rolling
- parmesan cheese, for garnishing
- dried parsley, for garnishing
Filling:
- 1/2 cup pizza sauce, + more for serving
- 1 cup mozzarella, shredded
- 1 cup ham, chopped
Instructions
- Place dough in a large bowl, add a generous drizzle of olive oil, cover with a dish towel and allow it to come to room temperature.About an hour.
- Once the dough has risen, form the dough into a long shape, using flour if the dough is too sticky.Cut into 6-8 even pieces depending on the size of calzones you want.
- Use your fingers and gently form each piece into a smooth ball. Place the balls on a floured baking sheet and cover with a dish towel for another 30-35 minutes to rise once again.
- In the meantime, prepare the pizza sauce, and any other fillings you will be using.
- Roll each dough ball out into a flat circle, using a small amount of flour if you need.
- Add equal parts sauce, cheese and filling to the centre of each, ensuring you leave a bit of room around the edges.
- Fold over one half of the dough over the filling to meet the other side and press the edges together.Sammy's tip: dab your fingers in a small amount of water to help seal the edges shut.
- To a large, deep frying pan add the oil and set to medium/high heat. Generally, the oil temperature should be about 325°F.There should be enough oil that the calzones are nearly entirely submerged.
- Begin frying the calzones, 2-3 at a time until golden brown on all sides.
- Place the cooked calzones on a cooling rack, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, dried parsley, and parmesan cheese.
- Allow to cool for 5 minutes.
- Serve with warmed pizza sauce for dipping.
Video
Notes
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- Classic fillings: use classic pizza toppings such as green peppers, olives, onions, mushrooms and pepperoni.
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- Breakfast calzones: stuff these with bacon, eggs and cheese.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
