Calzone Ricotta Filling
Drained ricotta, mozz, Parmesan, a cooked filling. The thing that separates a great calzone from a sad one.
Intro
The thing that separates a great calzone from a sad one: drained ricotta. Wet ricotta turns the calzone into a soup vessel. A 1-hour drain is the minimum; 2 hours is better; overnight is best. The nutmeg is small but mandatory — it rounds out the dairy without announcing itself.
Ingredients
note · Calabro is the best supermarket-tier; Polly-O is the reliable mass-market.
note · Sausage browned and crumbled, diced ham, sautéed spinach with garlic, sautéed mushrooms, roasted red peppers (well-drained).
note · Small but mandatory. Rounds out the dairy without announcing itself.
note · Brushed on the formed calzone before baking.
The process
- 1
Drain the ricotta
Place ricotta in a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl. Let drain for 1 hour minimum, ideally 2.
✶ Pizzaiolo tip1 hour is the minimum. 2 hours is better. Overnight (in the fridge) is best.⏱ Drain60:00 - 2
Press to release liquid
Press gently with the back of a spoon at the end to release any remaining liquid.
- 3
Combine
In a bowl, combine drained ricotta, grated mozzarella, Parmesan, cooked filling, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir gently — mixed, not whipped.
- 4
Taste
Taste and adjust salt. The filling should taste slightly under-salted on its own — it'll come into balance with the dough.
- 5
Reserve egg yolk
The egg yolk gets brushed on the formed calzone before baking, not mixed into the filling.
✶ Pizzaiolo tipDon't put marinara *inside* the calzone — it steams the dough and breaks the seal. Sauce is for dipping.
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