Turkey Mushroom Broccoli Calzone

Dough and Filling for a Calzone

Just like pizza, a calzone can be made with almost any combination of ingredients so it’s a great way to use up any leftovers which, by themselves, might not make up a whole meal. Traditionally a calzone is filled with ricotta and mozzarella cheese and a variety of other meats and vegetables. This recipe for turkey mushroom broccoli calzone is a fantastic way to use up cooked turkey and get some veggies into the meal as well.

Of course, pizza dough is the first ingredient that you do need to have on hand (although bread dough will work just as well). If you’re making your own dough, be sure to leave enough time for it to rise properly. If you’ve purchased pizza dough, leaving it out on the counter while you prepare the other ingredients will make it easier to stretch or roll without it shrinking back on you. Speaking of the other ingredients, it’s good to know that the ingredients you add to a calzone won’t have time or access to direct heat in the oven to get properly cooked, so you need to give them a head start before wrapping them in your calzone. Blanch the broccoli and sauté the mushrooms while the pizza dough comes to room temperature.  

Folding and Sealing a Calzone

Basically a calzone is folded into a half moon and then sealed to keep the filling inside. Roll the dough into a circle, spread the filling on half of the dough and fold the top crust over the filling. Roll up the edges and crimp it shut. You can brush with egg wash or olive oil to give the calzone a more glossy finish.

Parchment paper is a great trick when you’re making pizza, calzones or any dough-y item on a pizza stone or steel. The biggest challenge to using a pizza stone is getting the food onto it, but parchment paper allows food to slide off a pizza peel and onto the stone with no trouble. The paper browns a little, but will not catch on fire unless it makes contact with the heating element. So, by trimming the paper to fit whatever your cooking, it simply bakes with the food and then peels off the bottom very easily. It also catches any cheese that might ooze out of the dough, making clean up non-existent. 

If you don’t have a pizza stone or steel, you can pre-heat an inverted baking tray in your oven and use that, but I highly recommend having a pizza steel as part of your kitchen arsenal.

With the right dough and a good hot oven, your turkey mushroom broccoli calzone will be a thing to behold. Its beauty will only be surpassed by the beautiful smiles on those you’re feeding.

The Difference Between a Calzone and Stromboli

The major difference between a stromboli and calzone is the way they are folded. A calzone is folded into a half moon with the filling inside, whereas a stromboli is rolled up into a log with the filling spiraled in the dough. Some even consider a stromboli a sandwich and they are usually sliced for serving. The fillings for both are versatile and similar, consisting of meat, sauce and cheese. One notable difference is that a stromboli usually has the sauce rolled up inside where a calzone has the sauce on the side.

When I want cheese and veggies I tend to go for a Calzone, but when I’m in the mood for Italian meats and cheeses my go-to is this Classic Italian Stromboli. For parties, these Air Fryer Stromboli Pinwheels are always a big hit (at least with me!). I always made extras because they are quite addictive!