Recipes

Fried Ham and Ricotta Calzones

  • Serves

    makes 6

FARIDEH SADEGHIN

Calzones don’t always have to be baked. Site producer Michellina Jones looked forward to this crispy deep-fried version filled with ham and ricotta when she was a kid, which her mom Rachel would often make as a crowd-pleasing weeknight dinner.

Ingredients

  • 4 cups flour, plus more for dusting
  • 3 tsp. baking powder
  • 34 tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste
  • 1 12 tbsp. canola oil, plus more for frying
  • 2 cups ricotta cheese
  • 8 oz. sliced deli ham, torn into 2" pieces
  • 6 oz. mozzarella
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • Marinara sauce, for serving

Instructions

Step 1

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl. Add oil and 1 1⁄4 cup water; knead dough until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and leave to rest for 30 minutes.

Step 2

Combine ricotta cheese, ham, mozzarella, salt, and pepper in a mixing bowl and refrigerate until ready to use.

Step 3

Heat 2” oil in a 6-qt. saucepan until a deep-fry thermometer reads 350°. Divide the dough into 6 balls. On a lightly floured surface, roll balls into six 9” circles. Place 2⁄3 cups of cheese mixture on one side of each circle, leaving a 1” border. Fold other half of circles over, and seal with a fork. Working with one calzone at a time, fry, turning once, until golden and puffed, about 5 minutes. Using tongs, remove calzone and drain briefly on a paper towel-lined plate. Transfer to a serving platter and serve with warm marinara sauce.

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