One of the best things about Chicago’s very own Italian beef is how flexible it is. You’ll see it all over town on menus loaded into pizzas, tucked into quesadillas or sprinkled on nachos. It pretty much hits wherever you put it.
Since I’ve been on a calzone streak, I felt pretty confident that the ingredients of a classic Italian beef sandwich and stuffing it into some really amazing calzone dough was going to work.
Boy, did it ever.
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The difference between Italian beef and deli counter roast beef
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For clarification, Italian beef is slow-roasted in a highly seasoned, zesty beef broth. If you use a pot roast or a deli counter roast beef that hasn’t been cooked in herbs or seasoning, you won’t have the same results.
Want to dip your beef calzone?
Try these easy dipping sauce recipes
Best vodka sauce recipe (make 1/2 a recipe)
What you’ll need
Equipment suggestion
I use a baking stone (my favorite one is the black pizza stone from Emil Henry) for consistent results.
-Josie + Nina
Easy calzone dough recipe
Calzone dough is very similar to homemade pizza dough. But the goal with this particular dough was that it had to be crispy on the outside but be soft and pillowy around the filling on the inside. Using a blend of “00” and AP flours, a small amount of yeast, and tich more salt gave me the results I was looking for!
NOTE: this calzone dough recipe is really, really easy but because it only has a small amount of yeast, it requires an overnight rise time (up to 18 hours) so be sure to plan for this when you’re craving calzones.
Rolling out calzone dough
Because the calzone dough is a little softer and on the wetter side, you’ll need more flour after it rises to bring it all together. A lot of the moisture will also depend on the humidity in your kitchen.
A few tips:
- Sprinkle plenty of AP flour on your counter or clean wooden cutting board and also sprinkle your hands and the top of the dough when shaping it.
- Shape the dough into a ball, tucking under the sides until you have a perfectly round shape.
- Starting from edges, use your fingertips to work your way around the dough spinning it in a circle as you go. This will help keep the shape.
- When the dough round reaches about 8″ in diameter, you are ready to fill and bake.
- Be sure the dough can slide back and forth on the bottom of your cutting board or pizza peel because when you add the toppings, it will get heavy. Sprinkle a little flour under the rolled dough before filling and shake the board back and forth.
Fill and bake beef calzone
Tips for a crispy calzone
- Italian beef sandwiches, especially ones that are “wet” or “dipped” can be really messy. There is nothing worse than soggy bread dough so to ensure that doesn’t happen, you’ll drain and press any extra liquid out the beef before adding it to the calzone filling.
- Cut some holes in the top of the calzone so the steam can escape and the inside of the calzone isn’t watery.
- Brushing the top of the calzone with beaten egg creates a glossy finish and crispier crust.
- Sprinkle oregano on top of the dough before baking adds a flavor pop.
Pro tip
Be sure the beef is completely cooled and fairly dry before adding to calzone dough to avoid excess moisture or the dough sagging.
Bake a calzone party
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Extra Cheese Italian Beef Calzone
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Equipment
Ingredients
For the calzone dough
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting; can use bread flour
- 2 ¼ cups "00" flour, or pizza flour;
- ½ teaspoon instant yeast, generous
- 4 teaspoons kosher salt, I used Diamond Kosher; otherwise use 2 teaspoons if using Morton's Kosher salt
- 2 cups warm water, about 105° or so
- cornmeal for sprinkling, for sprinkling pizza peel
For the filling
- 1 ½ cup ricotta, divided
- 12 Tablespoons giardiniera, drained; I use Buona beef or Marzetta
- ½ lb Italian beef, completely cooled and sliced; I use this Dutch oven Italian beef recipe
- ½ lb fresh mozzarella, sliced
- ½ lb sharp provolone sliced, I used Boar's Head Picante Provolone
- kosher salt
- ground black pepper
Instructions
For the dough
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and yeast together. Next, stir in the salt. Pour in the water and mix with either a wooden spoon or a stand mixer (fitted with the paddle attachment) on low until combined. The dough will be shaggy.Cover the bowl with plastic wrap first and then cover with a clean dish towel to rise overnight for 12-18 hours.2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, 2 ¼ cups "00" flour, ½ teaspoon instant yeast, 4 teaspoons kosher salt, 2 cups warm water
- The next day, sprinkle a generous tablespoon of flour or so on a clean counter. Remove the dough to the counter. (It might be pretty loose)Gently pull the far side edge of the dough towards you over top of the dough. Next, pull the closest side over top the opposite way and repeat from side to side. Add flour as needed in 1 Tablespoon increments so that the dough isn't sticking to the board.
- Cut into 6 even pieces and shape into rounds. Place on a floured sheet pan and cover lightly with plastic wrap to rise for another hour.If you don't plan on using all the dough, I recommend place each in its own ziploc bag and let rise in the bag for another hour (at least). Freeze or refrigerate the dough you don't plan to use.
For the filling
- If the Italian beef is leftover, slice or shred to your desired thickness. I recommend slicing it on the thinner side. Follow this easy guide for slicing beef without a meat slicer. You also can use an Italian beef from the deli counter if that's available to you.TIP: be sure to pat the beef dry with paper towel before placing in dough. Don't add hot beef to cold dough or you'll have issues.½ lb Italian beef
Form and bake the calzone
- Preheat oven to 425°. I recommend using a baking stone or pizza steel. Place in the oven as it preheats and as you make the calzones. If you don't have a baking stone or pizza steel, then preheat a cast iron skillet in the oven.
- Remove one calzone dough round from the bag. It will be pretty soft. Flour the counter or a cutting board. Depending on the humidity, if the dough is sticking pretty well to the bag, it's a sign it might need a little more flour so sprinkle over some and work it in until it feels smooth but still very stretchy. It shouldn't stick to the board.Start at the center use your fingers to shape the calzone into a flat circle about 7-8" in diameter and ¼" thick.
- Draw an imaginary line across the circle of dough. On one half spread 1/4 cup of ricotta cheese leaving about ¼" rim on the edge of the dough. Sprinkle over 2 T of the giardiniera followed by ⅙ of each of the Italian beef, fresh mozzarella and sliced provolone.1 ½ cup ricotta, ½ lb fresh mozzarella, 6 Tablespoons parmesan
- Stretch the unfilled side of dough over the filled side. Pinch or roll the edge seam closed. You can also use a fork to crimp the edges.
- Cut slits in the top near the center so steam can escape. Make sure the calzone slides on the board and if needed because it's now heavier, sprinkle a little more flour between the calzone and the board.
- Brush any excess flour off the top with a pastry brush.Use the brush to paint on some beaten egg all over the calzone. Sprinkle with parmesan and some flaky sea salt. Place unbaked finished calzone on a pizza peel sprinkled with cornmeal and carefully slide the calzone onto the preheated baking stone.Bake until golden on top about 25 minutes and the edges are crisp. Serve with some homemade marinara dipping sauce or zesty cheddar cheese sauce on the side.cornmeal for sprinkling, 1 egg
Notes
- I highly recommend using a baking stone to make/bake pizzas and calzones.
- If you can’t find/don’t have “00” flour, you can use all AP or bread flour.
- Unused dough can be frozen up to 3 months.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator wrapped in plastic wrap and then a sealed bag for up to 3 days.
- Reheat in a 350° oven for about 10 minutes until warmed through.
I’d like to make a big batch of these and freeze them for snacks or meals later. Any ideas, warnings, heating instructions?
Hi Jackie! Love this question – per my experience and research, I would bake the calzones first and allow them to cool. I’d wrap them first in parchment and then foil and freeze individually in freezer-safe bags for up to 3 months. And then for baking…preheat the oven to 375°. Evenly space the calzones on a parchment-covered sheet pan and bake for about 20-30 minutes. You could also pop them into an air fryer, if that’s an option, at 350° for 15 minutes. Good luck and let me know how it goes!