There are things to consider when looking at a stromboli vs. calzone. While they are both pizza variants, there are clear differences between the two.
What is a Calzone?
A calzone can be easily eaten, as it’s intended to be a handheld take on pizza. A calzone involves flattening pizza dough before topping it with fillings like cheese, meat, and vegetables. Calzones are often served individually and might be served with marinara sauce for dipping.
What is a Stromboli?
A stromboli is a thin rectangle of pizza dough that is topped with cheese, vegetables, and/or cured meats. Some stromboli is also made with a little tomato sauce. After the stromboli is baked, it can be cut into pieces for serving.
Stromboli vs. Calzone: How Are They Similar?
In the United States, calzones and stromboli are two staples of Italian cuisine that take inspiration from pizza. Stromboli and calzones can include similar fillings that are wrapped in the dough before being cooked and served.
Key Differences: Stromboli vs. Calzone
Origin
It is thought that stromboli was created by Italian-Americans in Philadelphia duing the 1950s. A restaurant called Romano’s Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria claims to have coined the stromboli name when the owner of the restaurant was trying to name a new sandwich.
Calzones on the other hand, are authentic to Italy, as they were invented in Naples during the 18th century. Since calzones can be easily eaten while standing, it quickly became a popular street food.
Shape and Size of Dough
Since a stromboli is larger and longer than a calzone, stromboli is baked as one piece before being cut into slice for serving. In contrast, calzones, which also start out pizza dough, start with a small or medium-sized ball of dough that is then stretched out into a round.
Sealing Technique
Another big difference between a stromboli and a calzone is how the two pizza variants are folded and sealed before being baked. A calzone is folded into a half moon moon shape and then sealed by crimping the edges with a fold.
A stromboli is rolled into a spiral, which is then folded over the extra dough. This is doen to keep the contents contained.
Sauce Placement
When you are served a calzone, the sauce is served alongside it. On the other hand, sauce is typically baked into a stromboli.
Fillings
There are key differences between the fillings in a stromboli compared to calzone. With that said, both contain similar fillings, such as meat, cheese, and vegetables.
Meat
- Pepperoni
- Salami
- Cooked sausages
- Cooked ground beef
- Cooked shredded beef
- Prosciutto
- Pancetta
Vegetables
- Broccoli
- Peppers, such as bell, jalapeno, Calabrian, and more.
- Spinach
- Onions
- Mushrooms
- Olives
- Artichokes
- Zucchini
- Eggplant
How It’s Made
Calzones and stromboli are usually baked until the cheese has melted and once the dough is cooked. With this said, calzones can also be fried.
How to Make a Stromboli
To make a stromboli, take a ball of pizza dough and then divide it into two pieces. You can also leave the ball of pizza dough as is, depending on how large you want the stromboli to be.
Next, roll the dough into a large rectangle.
After you roll it into a large rectangle, cover it with mozzarella cheese and any other topics of your choice.
Once your are done placing the filling, fold one long side of the dough to the middle of the rectangle. You then can fold the other side on top.
Once this is done, paint the stromboli with either olive oil and egg wash.
Next, bake the stromboli in a hot oven until you see it browned and bubbly.
After, cut it into slices and serve.
How to Make a Calzone
To make a calzone, you take a ball of pizza dough and then divide it into two or four pieces.
Then, take those balls of dough and roll or stretch each ball into a flat circle.
After, place your pre-made filling onto one half of the dough.
Once you’re done placing the filling, you need to paint the edges with egg wash before folding the dough over in order to cover the filling.
To seal the calzone, crimp the edge by using a fork or another tool.
Once the edge is crimped, you then need to paint the top with egg wash and cut a few slits in the dough so that any steam is able to escape.
With this part done, you can then bake the calzone in a hot oven or directly on a pizza stone.
The calzone should bake until the calzone is browned and the filling is bubbly.
Servings
Another one of the key differences between stromboli and calzones is the serving size. Calzones are made in single serving sizes as they are intended for an easy lunch or dinner.
Stromboli on the other hand will usually serve 3 to 6 people. The roll can be sliced into shareable sizes.
Which is Healthier: Stromboli vs. Calzone
If you’re trying to make a healthier decision between a stromboli and a calzone, it’s dependent on the filling ingredients.
Since calzones often contain salami, ricotta cheese and ham, it’s higher in calories and fat. You can choose leaner meat and make it with more vegetables, if you want fewer calories and less fat.
Strombolis tend to have a higher calorie count as they are made with mozzarella cheese. In line with calzones, you can choose different filling options if you want to reduce the amount of calories.
Both dishes can be healthier by avoiding processed meats and adding vegetables, such as spinach, peppers, and mushrooms. You can choose chicken or turkey for leaner meat options.
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