Here I’ll show you the easiest and most delicious way to make calzone using the mighty tortilla wrap!
If you’ve followed along for a while, you’ll know I’m already going to Italian hell. But this could potentially be the final nail in the coffin 😅 Follow me…
Tortilla Calzone
I don’t often follow trends or come up with novelty recipes just for the heck of it, so fear not, these are truly delicious. And so flippin’ easy too!
Using tortilla wraps to make a calzone is a no-brainer for me. Although I’m sure they’re now technically more of a quesadilla now. But nevertheless, here we are.
No need to make homemade pizza dough, the quick fix of the mighty tortilla means dinner is ready in a pinch.
Preparing Tortilla Calzones
First things first, make sure you’re using flour tortillas, which are much more pliable than corn tortillas. If they’re looking a touch dry just give them a short blast in the microwave to loosen them up.
From there, go in with some pizza or marinara sauce on one side and ricotta on the other. Top the pizza sauce with mozzarella and that’s the base of your calzone.
Reducing moisture
Because excess moisture has no easy escape out of the calzone, we want to make sure the filling isn’t too watery. As such, you’ll want to use low-moisture mozzarella (i.e. not the stuff stored in brine). Alongside this, I recommend a thick sauce. Simmer it to reduce and thicken it beforehand if you need to.
Tortilla Calzone Fillings
In reality, you can fill the calzones with anything you fancy. Here are my two favourite fillings:
Filling idea #1 (sausage and peppers)
- Sausage – just squeeze the meat from some herby/seasoned sausages and fry until crumbled/cooked.
- Peppers & Onion – thinly slice and fry in the leftover fat.
- Parmesan – for a flavour boost.
- Seasoning – I like a pinch of oregano and chilli flakes with this filling.
Filling idea #2 (ham and mushroom)
- Ham – I use parma ham, but any thin/wafer ham will work.
- Salami – or any similar thin cured meat.
- Mushroom – fry in a drizzle of oil and season with salt and pepper beforehand.
- Olives – thinly sliced black olives.
- Basil – roughly torn.
- Seasoning – I love a pinch of black pepper with this filling.
In general, feel feel to experiment, but just be careful you don’t add too much moisture. Hence why we’re frying the veg beforehand. Also, go easy on fatty cured meats like pepperoni. A small amount is fine, but too much and the calzone will be way too oily. All raw meat also needs to be cooked beforehand.
Making Tortilla Calzones
Once you’ve stacked the calzones, you’ll want to fold them over and secure the filling. Two steps are important here:
- Glue – make a ‘glue’ by mixing flour and a dash of water. This will help the tortilla stick together.
- Crimp – use a fork to press down on the tortilla to secure the filling.
Your calzone should be pretty secure after this! After, just brush with oil, slice in some steam holes then bake until golden.
Serving Tortilla Calzone
One of these is very hearty, so I tend not to serve it with anything. But you could add a side salad or fries if you fancied!
Alrighty, let’s tuck into the full recipe for these tortilla calzones shall we?!
How to make Tortilla Calzone (Full Recipe & Video)
Tortilla Calzone
Equipment
- Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
- Frying Pan & Wooden Spoon
- Small Bowl & Brush
- Large Baking Tray
- Fine Cheese Grater
Ingredients
Tortilla Calzone
- 2x large Flour Tortilla Wraps
- 4 tbsp Pizza Sauce (see notes)
- 4 tbsp full fat Ricotta
- 100-120g / 3-4oz shredded Mozzarella (see notes)
- 2 tbsp Parmesan, finely grated
- 2 tsp Flour
- Olive Oil, as needed
Filling Idea #1 (for two calzones)
- 4 Pork Sausages (any herby/seasoned ones)
- 1/2 Red Pepper, thinly sliced
- 1/2 Green Pepper, thinly sliced
- 1/2 small White Onion, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp Parmesan, finely grated
- 2 pinches Dried Oregano
- 2 pinches Chilli Flakes
Filling Idea #2 (for two calzones)
- 8 slices of Salami
- 4 slices Parma Ham (sub any thin/wafer ham)
- 8-10 small Chestnut Mushrooms, sliced
- handful sliced Black Olives
- handful Fresh Basil, roughly torn
- 2 pinches Black Pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F.
- Spread 2 tbsp pizza sauce on half of a tortilla wrap and 2 tbsp ricotta on the other half, leaving a 2cm/3/4" gap around the outside. Top the pizza sauce with mozzarella then repeat with the second tortilla.
- For filling #1 – squeeze the sausage meat from the skins and fry in a drizzle of oil in a pan over medium heat until crumbled and cooked. Remove and fry the onion and peppers in the leftover fat until softened and lightly charred. Stack both on the mozzarella and finish with parmesan, oregano and chilli flakes.
- For filling #2 – fry the mushrooms in a drizzle of oil in a pan over medium heat until browned on both sides. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper then remove. Add salami on top of the mozzarella, followed by ham, mushrooms, olives, basil and a pinch of black pepper.
- Combine the flour in a small bowl with a dash of water to form a thin paste. Brush around the outside of the tortilla, then carefully fold the ricotta side over the filling side. Crimp with a form so the tortilla sticks together.
- Place on a baking tray, brush with olive oil then slice in a few steam holes. Bake in the oven for 15-18 minutes until light golden and crisp. Immediately sprinkle over parmesan then serve up and enjoy!
Video
Notes
b) Mozzarella – don’t use fresh mozzarella in brine as it’ll add too much moisture to the filling. The pre-shredded packet stuff works best here.
c) Meats – you can use different meats, just make sure you pre-cook anything raw. Go easy on very fatty meats like pepperoni as it’ll make the filling go oily if there’s too much.
d) Veggies – again, use any veggies you fancy, just fry off anything that needs pre-cooking. This is important to remove moisture, otherwise it’ll be released into the calzone and turn the bottom soggy.
e) Pizza Sauce – I use my Homemade Pizza Sauce but you can use store-bought. You could also use marinara sauce. In all cases, just make sure the sauce isn’t too watery. Simmer it down to thicken if you need to.
f) Calories – per calzone assuming sausage and peppers filling.
Nutrition
If you loved these tortilla calzones then give my Puff Pastry Pizza Parcels a go!
For more similar recipes check out these beauties:
Fun Tortilla Recipes
- Breakfast Tortilla Pockets
- Ham, Cheese and Egg Cups
- Avocado Chicken Roll Ups
- Mini Burrito Bowls
- Buffalo Chicken Crunchwraps
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