The Story Behind the Calzone

Just like in the 1700s, if you needed a pizza on the go, but didn’t want the mess, Calzones were the perfect compromise. Calzones consist of a thick warm outer crust, stuffed with gooey mozzarella, ricotta, marinara, and generally any meat and veggie combination you think of! For any pizza or Italian food lover, what’s not to love? Calzones are incredibly popular at Italian restaurants around the United States and have been for decades. Read below to learn about the history of one of America’s favorite Italian foods.

The History Of The Calzone
The origin of the calzone began in Naples, Italy in the early 1700s. If you were to translate ‘calzone’ from Italian to English, it would mean ‘pants leg.’ Pants leg refers to the Italians with the need for a pizza on the go! Just like today! Although this isn’t the for the sure reason behind the name, there is one other theory. The calzone was thought of as a pair of pants that you stuff with cheese, meat, and other veggies, however, the recipe was a little different back in the day.

Old Calzone vs. New
Calzones in Italy were half-moon shaped, not quite like the massive calzones you see in the United States. They had a different recipe as well. The recipe for a calzone from Naples called for a folded pizza with ricotta, mozzarella, anchovies, and olives. However, people soon began to realize you could stiff calzones with endless toppings! Today, calzones in the US are usually about the size of a football, stuffed with meat, like sausage or meatballs, mozzarella, ricotta, and any variation of veggies!

Next time you need to eat a delicious Calzone stop by Carpaccio! Enjoy our authentic Italian dishes on the go! For more information visit our website at carpaccios.com or give us a call at 650-322-1211. Follow us on Facebook to stay up to date on our latest information!

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Sources:
https://nearsay.com/c/434506/151974/a-brief-history-of-calzones
https://blog.slicelife.com/what-is-a-calzone-and-where-did-it-come-from/
https://ny.eater.com/2014/3/20/6258201/the-story-of-the-calzone