Did you know these terms are NOT interchangeable? Some restaurants serve one yet call it the other. What is the difference? Calzones use ricotta cheese, and strombolis do not.  Calzones usually use a blend of cheeses that almost always incorporates ricotta cheese. And then there is the pizza sauce. Calzones never have tomato sauce inside the dough but can be served on the side to dip in.

I decided to put out all the makings for strombolis or calzones and let the family decide which they wanted. It was fun choosing what you wanted inside.

Verdict:

These were amazing! We were all happy because we could use our own choice of filling. Mine was Mozzarella, Ricotta, Italian Sausage, and onions. Yum! My daughter was mushrooms, pepperoni and ricotta. It is all in what you have on hand and want to stuff them with!

This isn’t a recipe as much as it is suggestions:

• 1 (1 lb) dough ball for 1 large or 2 smaller calzones/strombolis
• Pizza Sauce, can be used inside or on the side for dipping

Choice of Cheeses:

• Ricotta Cheese
• Mozzarella Cheese
• Parmesan Cheese
• Feta Cheese
• Bleu Cheese
• Asiago Cheese
• Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Choice of Meats:

• Italian Sausage, Cooked and Crumbled
• Pepperoni Slices
• Bacon, cooked and crumbled
• Ground Beef
• Ham
• Anchovies (a family favorite)
• Breakfast Sausage

Veggies:

• onions
• peppers
• spinach
• mushrooms
• olives
• garlic
• sliced tomatoes
• basil
• jalapenos

Other:

• oregano
• basil
• crushed red pepper

These are just a few of the options you can mix and match to find your perfect stromboli or calzone! Try a few different ones until you get your perfect flavor.

They are so easy to make. Stretch your dough into a large round. Fill toppings on 1/2 of the dough. Fold dough over and seal tightly. Cut a slit or two in the top to release steam.

Bake at 400 degrees until done. Serve warm. Yum!