Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)
Quick Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups (325 g) all-purpose or bread flour
- 1 cup (240 ml) warm water, 2 1/4 tsp instant yeast, 1 tsp sugar, 1 1/4 tsp salt, 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 head garlic, 1 tsp olive oil, pinch of salt
- 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 small onion (finely chopped)
- 1 lb (450 g) minced lamb
- 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp ground coriander, 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp dried oregano, pinch cinnamon, pinch chili flakes (optional)
- 3 tbsp tomato paste, 1/4 cup (60 ml) water
- 3 cups (90 g) fresh baby spinach (chopped)
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, 1 tbsp chopped fresh mint (optional)
- 2 cups (200 g) shredded mozzarella, 1/2 cup (75 g) crumbled feta (optional)
- 1 egg + 1 tbsp water (egg wash), 1 tbsp olive oil, sesame or nigella seeds (optional)
Do This
- 1. Roast garlic at 400°F (200°C) for 30–35 minutes until soft and golden; cool and squeeze out cloves.
- 2. Mix flour, yeast, sugar, salt, water, and oil; knead 8–10 minutes until smooth. Let rise 45 minutes.
- 3. Sauté onion, then brown lamb with spices. Stir in tomato paste and water; simmer until thick.
- 4. Stir spinach, herbs, and roasted garlic into lamb; cook just until spinach wilts. Cool completely.
- 5. Preheat oven to 475°F (245°C). Divide dough into 4 balls; roll each into an 8–9 inch circle.
- 6. Add lamb mixture and cheeses to each round, fold over, crimp edges, and cut small steam vents.
- 7. Brush with egg wash and olive oil, sprinkle seeds, and bake 12–15 minutes until deep golden and melty.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- All the cozy flavor of spiced lamb pizza, wrapped in a handheld golden pocket.
- Roasted garlic, fresh herbs, and spinach balance the rich lamb and stretchy mozzarella.
- Great make-ahead option: freeze unbaked calzones and bake straight from frozen.
- Perfect for casual entertaining, game night, or a fun family dinner project.
Grocery List
- Produce: 1 head garlic, 1 small onion, fresh baby spinach, fresh parsley, fresh mint (optional)
- Dairy: Shredded mozzarella cheese, feta cheese (optional), 1 egg
- Pantry: All-purpose or bread flour, olive oil, instant yeast, sugar, salt, black pepper, ground cumin, ground coriander, smoked paprika, dried oregano, ground cinnamon, chili flakes (optional), tomato paste, sesame or nigella seeds (optional)
- Meat: Minced (ground) lamb
Full Ingredients
For the Calzone Dough
- 2 1/2 cups (325 g) all-purpose or bread flour, plus extra for dusting
- 1 cup (240 ml) warm water (about 110°F / 43°C)
- 2 1/4 tsp (1 packet, 7 g) instant or rapid-rise yeast
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
For the Roasted Garlic
- 1 whole head garlic
- 1 tsp olive oil
- Pinch of salt
For the Herbed Lamb Filling
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
- 1 lb (450 g) minced lamb
- 1 tsp fine sea salt (plus more to taste)
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp red chili flakes (optional, for heat)
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) water
- 3 cups (90 g) fresh baby spinach, roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh mint leaves, finely chopped (optional but lovely with lamb)
- All the soft cloves from the roasted garlic head
For Assembling and Baking
- 2 cups (200 g) shredded low-moisture mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup (75 g) crumbled feta cheese (optional, but highly recommended)
- 1 large egg
- 1 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp olive oil (to mix with egg wash or for brushing)
- 1–2 tsp sesame seeds or nigella seeds (optional, for topping)
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Roast the garlic
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Slice about 1/4 inch off the top of the garlic head to expose the cloves. Place the garlic on a small piece of foil, drizzle with 1 teaspoon olive oil, and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Wrap tightly in the foil to form a sealed packet and place directly on the oven rack or on a small baking tray.
Roast for 30–35 minutes, until the cloves are very soft, lightly golden, and fragrant. Remove from the oven and let cool until comfortable to handle. Squeeze the soft roasted cloves out of their skins into a small bowl and mash lightly with a fork. Set aside.
Step 2: Make and rise the dough
While the garlic roasts, make the dough. In a large mixing bowl, combine the warm water, yeast, and sugar. Stir and let sit for 3–5 minutes until slightly foamy (if using instant yeast, this step is optional, but it is a good check that your yeast is active).
Add the flour, salt, and olive oil. Mix with a wooden spoon or your hand until a shaggy dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8–10 minutes, until smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky but not sticky. If the dough is too sticky, sprinkle on a little more flour; if it feels dry, wet your hands lightly and continue kneading.
Form into a ball, place in a lightly oiled bowl, and turn once to coat. Cover with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let rise in a warm spot for about 45 minutes, or until doubled in size. While the dough is rising, prepare the lamb filling.
Step 3: Cook the herbed lamb
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring often, until softened and translucent.
Add the minced lamb, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Cook for 6–8 minutes until no longer pink and starting to brown in spots. Drain off any excess fat if the pan looks very greasy, leaving about 1 tablespoon for flavor.
Stir in the salt, black pepper, cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, dried oregano, cinnamon, and chili flakes (if using). Cook for 1–2 minutes more, until the spices are fragrant and coat the meat.
Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute to remove the raw taste. Pour in the 1/4 cup water and stir to combine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Simmer for 3–4 minutes until the mixture is thick and most of the liquid has evaporated. You want a moist but not saucy filling so it does not leak from the calzones.
Step 4: Add spinach, herbs, and roasted garlic
Reduce the heat to low. Add the chopped spinach, parsley, and mint (if using) to the lamb mixture. Stir for 1–2 minutes, just until the spinach wilts and everything is well combined.
Add the mashed roasted garlic and stir it through the mixture, breaking up any larger pieces so it distributes evenly. Taste and adjust seasoning with a little more salt or pepper if needed.
Transfer the lamb mixture to a shallow bowl or tray and let cool to room temperature. A cooler filling is much easier to work with and helps prevent the dough from getting soggy or tearing.
Step 5: Divide and shape the dough
Increase the oven temperature to 475°F (245°C). If you have a pizza stone, place it in the oven to preheat; otherwise, line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Punch down the risen dough to release excess air. Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 4 equal pieces (each about 150–160 g). Shape each piece into a smooth ball, cover with a towel, and let rest for 5–10 minutes to relax the gluten; this makes rolling easier.
Working with one piece at a time, roll the dough into an 8–9 inch (20–23 cm) circle, about 1/8–1/4 inch (3–5 mm) thick. Lightly flour the surface and rolling pin as needed to prevent sticking. Keep the other dough balls covered so they do not dry out.
Step 6: Fill and seal the calzones
In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and 1 tablespoon water to make an egg wash. Stir in 1 tablespoon olive oil, if desired, for extra browning and flavor.
For each dough circle, imagine a line down the center, creating two halves. On one half of the circle, leaving a 1-inch (2.5 cm) border around the edge, add about 1/4 of the lamb mixture (roughly 1/2–2/3 cup). Top with 1/4 of the mozzarella and 1/4 of the feta, if using.
Lightly brush the exposed border with egg wash to help seal. Fold the bare half of the dough over the filling to form a half-moon shape. Press the edges together firmly, then crimp by folding the edge over itself or by pressing with the tines of a fork. Make sure there are no gaps where cheese could leak out.
Transfer each assembled calzone to the prepared baking sheet (or a floured peel if using a stone). With a sharp knife, cut 2–3 small slits in the top of each calzone to allow steam to escape. Brush the tops generously with more egg wash and sprinkle with sesame or nigella seeds if you like.
Step 7: Bake until golden and melty
Bake the calzones at 475°F (245°C) for 12–15 minutes, or until the crust is deep golden brown with some darker spots, and you can see a little bubbling cheese at the vents.
Remove from the oven and let them rest for 5–10 minutes before serving; the interior will be extremely hot and the resting time lets the cheese settle slightly. Serve warm, optionally with a simple yogurt-garlic sauce or a side salad.
Pro Tips
- Cool the filling: A warm or hot filling will steam the dough from the inside, making it harder to seal and more prone to tearing or leaking. Aim for room temperature before assembling.
- Do not overfill: It is tempting to pile in the filling, but too much will make sealing difficult. Keep to roughly 1/2–2/3 cup lamb mixture plus cheese per calzone.
- Seal thoroughly: Press and crimp the edges well, and make sure there are no gaps. Egg wash on the border acts like glue and helps prevent cheese escapes.
- Use high heat: A hot oven gives you that classic puffy, blistered, deeply golden crust. Preheating a pizza stone, if you have one, makes an even crisper bottom.
- Prep ahead: Roast the garlic and cook the lamb filling a day in advance. Store in the fridge and assemble/bake when you are ready to eat.
Variations
- Feta and olive twist: Add 1/4 cup chopped kalamata olives and extra feta to the filling for a briny, Mediterranean spin.
- Spicy harissa lamb: Stir 1–2 tablespoons harissa paste into the lamb mixture with the tomato paste for a bolder, spicier flavor.
- Mini party calzones: Divide the dough into 8–10 smaller pieces and make appetizer-sized calzones. Reduce baking time by a few minutes and watch closely.
Storage & Make-Ahead
Leftover baked calzones keep well. Let them cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat on a baking sheet at 375°F (190°C) for 10–15 minutes, until the crust is crisp again and the center is hot.
To freeze unbaked calzones, assemble them up to the egg-wash stage, then place on a parchment-lined tray and freeze until firm. Transfer to a freezer bag or container and freeze for up to 2 months. Bake from frozen at 400°F (200°C) for 20–25 minutes, until golden and cooked through, brushing with egg wash partway through if needed.
You can also freeze baked calzones. Cool completely, wrap individually, and freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat from frozen at 375°F (190°C) for 20–25 minutes.
Nutrition (per serving)
Estimated for 1 of 4 calzones (using mozzarella and feta): about 680 calories; 35 g protein; 35 g fat; 55 g carbohydrates; 3–4 g fiber; 5–7 g sugars. These values are approximate and will vary with exact ingredients and portion sizes.
