When you look at a calzone and a stromboli you may wonder exactly what is the difference? Both calzones and stromboli are a variation of a pizza. They both use pizza dough and are stuffed with cheese and similar toppings you use for pizzas. Both a calzone and stromboli use creative stuffing. However, you will need to look at a stromboli and a calzone with a chef’s eye to recognize the differences. Mr. Pizza would like to break down the stromboli and the calzone and share some of the key differences of these two tasty dishes.

What Does a Stromboli Consist Of?

A stromboli is an American-Italian hybrid that is made with pizza dough or a yeasted bread dough. A stromboli is first rolled out and flattened and is then topped with mozzarella or parmesan cheese. Other add-ons such as meats, veggies, and a tomato sauce can be used as the stuffing. The dough is then folded over the filling making a cylinder. The dough is rolled until it is closed off. The ends are then pinched to seal the seams. Next, slits are cut into the top of the dough which allows steam to exit while the dough cooks. Before baking a stromboli, often an egg-wash or olive oil is brushed on the top of the bread and then baked until it is golden brown. Depending on the size of the stromboli, after it’s been cooked they are cut into two, three or more portions. The filling for a stromboli greatly vary. Some of the more popular fillings for a stromboli are:
• Steak and Cheese
• Spinach, Ricotta, and Chicken
• Salami, Ham Pepperoni, and Mozzarella Cheese

Is a Calzone Just a Folded Pizza?

A calzone is a more traditional Italian dish that uses the same pizza or yeasted bread dough. Like a Stromboli, a calzone dough is rolled out in a flat circle. Half of the circle will then be topped with cheeses such as ricotta, mozzarella, or Parmesan and even sometimes more than one cheese can be used at a time. Next, you can use a number of meats to fill the inside as well as vegetables and herbs. The other half of the circle is then folded over to make a half circle that holds the filling, much like a pocket. The edges are crimped to seal the dough and the top sliced to allow the steam to escape. The dough is also covered with egg-wash and then baked. A calzone doesn’t contain any tomato sauce. However a calzone is often served with a marinara dipping sauce. There is a variation of a calzone that is made much smaller and is then deep fried. They are known as Panzerotti.

Differences of a Calzone & Stromboli

When reading about the calzone and the stromboli you will first notice the bread is usually the same but their shapes are different. A calzone is more of a half circle where the stromboli is more like a rectangle. The way the dough is sealed is also different. The stromboli is pinched closed where the calzone is twisted closed, much like an empanada. Where the stuffing is pretty universal for both the stromboli and calzone, a calzone tends to stay more traditional. The stromboli originated in America and is an American-Italian hybrid that was first invented in South Philadelphia. Calzones are much older and is a traditional Italian dish that was first invented or made in Naples.

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Each restaurant will use their own fillings and recipes to set their calzones and stromboli apart. If you have been craving either a calzone, stromboli, pizza, pasta or other related dish, we at Mr. Pizza have you covered! For creative Italian cuisine, come on down or order from Mr. Pizza today.