A calzone, sometimes referred to as a stuffed pizza, is an Italian turnover made of pizza dough and stuffed with cheese (usually mozzarella cheese and Ricotta, but some varieties contain Parmesan, Provolone, or a locally substituted cheese), meat, vegetables, et cetera. The dough is folded over, sealed on one edge, baked (or occasionally deep-fried), and often served with marinara sauce (a sauce based on tomatoes and basil) or bolognese

sauce (a meat sauce).

Pronounced in Italian, the word has three syllables, and it is correctly pronounced kahl-tzo-nay, but as the foodstuff became commonplace in America, many people ignored the Italian pronunciation rhyming it with the English word "zone" and pronouncing it as cal-zone.

Calzones are similar to stromboli, but traditionally the two are distinct dishes, as stromboli usually contains mozzarella cheese (no substitutes) and tends to have marinara sauce.

Regional variations
Sandwich-sized calzones are often sold at Italian lunch counters or by street vendors because they are easy to eat while standing or walking. Sweet versions, usually smaller and cookie-sized, are a

specialty in the Marche. Fried versions filled with tomato and mozzarella, and bacon and an olive in the full version, are made in Puglia.

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