I love pasties, and I love pizza, so in my books you can’t get much better than a calzone. If you’ve not tried one before, then give these a try – a calzone is basically a folded-over pizza, and these are stuffed with mozzarella, olives, capers, courgette, chilli and sun-dried tomatoes, in a light and crispy bread dough.
I’ve made full-sized calzones before (see post here) but these little bite-sized picnic versions are super-cute. They are a bit more sturdy than flaky pastry pasties, (though I do love a good cheese & onion pasty or three on a picnic too!), so are great for packing away in a tupperware box and traipsing off to your preferred picnic spot.
Please note: recipe is not vegan. This blog has been vegan since January 2016, but recipes from before that date are vegetarian but not necessarily vegan.
- 300 g pizza base mix (or white bread mix)
- 200 g passata
- 125 g grated mozzarella
- Dried oregano
- Black Pepper
- Your choice of fillings (I used half an onion, half a courgette, half a pepper, 5 sun-dried tomatoes, 5-6 black olives, 1 tbsp capers, 1 red chilli - all finely chopped)
- A little milk, to glaze
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Preheat the oven to 180C / 350F / Gas Mark 4. Make up the pizza base mix with water according to packet instructions. Leave to rise.
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Meanwhile, prepare your fillings - finely chop and combine them in a bowl.
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When your pizza dough is ready, flour a surface and roll out fairly thinly with a rolling pin. Use either a round pastry cutter or cut around a small saucer to create as many circles as you can until all the dough has been used. (My pastry cutter was 4 inches in diameter, but it really doesn't matter how big or small your calzones end up so use whatever you have to hand!). Continue to roll out and re-use the offcuts until all the dough has been used - no food waste here please!
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Taking each circle of dough in turn, wet the edges (I keep an egg-cup of water handy to dip a finger or pastry brush in), then spread a tablespoon of passata in the centre of the circle, (don't go all the way to the edges or you won't get a good seal). Next, put a tablespoon of your filling mix into the centre of the passata, and follow with a tablespoon of grated mozzarella. Sprinkle with a pinch of oregano and a grind of black pepper.
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Fold the circle in half making sure all the fillings are neatly tucked inside, (pizza dough is very stretchy so just pull and squeeze until they are neatly enclosed!). Pinch the edges together to seal, then either crimp with a fork or fold the edges over themselves (search you-tube for the perfect cornish pasty crimping technique if you're really keen!).
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Place your calzones on an oiled baking tray, brush them with a little milk, then bake for 15 minutes or so, until golden brown.
Make it Vegan: Just omit the mozzarella!
If you like the look of this recipe please follow me for more…. on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Pinterest. Thanks! Kate x
For more vegetarian picnic recipes from blogger friends, why not try:
- Emily’s Veggie No-Sausage Rolls from Recipes and Reviews
- Becca’s Cheese & Chive Savoury Flapjacks from Amuse Your Bouche
- Grace’s Rainbow Omelette Cakes from Eats Amazing
- Emily’s Easy Cheese Twists from Recipes and Reviews
- Anne’s Spicy Mushroom & Bean ‘Sausage’ Rolls from Anne’s Kitchen
- …. or my very first recipe on The Veg Space – Mini Cheese & Onion Pasties!
Oh, those look sooo quick. Such a great picnic snack idea.
Thanks Margot! X
these are delicious. We do calzones as a picnic idea for the kids – such a great finger food and easy to customise to everyone’s eating preferences.
Yes just perfect picnic food – thanks for stopping by Nazima! X
They look and sound so delicious Kate 😀
Thanks Nadia! X
These are so cute. Next time we have a picnic (if we ever get picnic weather), I am going to be taking these along with us.
Glad to hear it Dannii!! X
Oh wow Kate these are just fabulous and I’d love to eat them right now:-)
Thanks Camilla! X
Oooh these are so lovely! Better than any picnic food I’ve ever had 😉
Thanks Becca! X
Thanks for sharing this recipe, I will try it !
Thanks – let me know how it goes!
daft question, but I am assuming these are good cold? my next picnic will be over an hour away from home!
Yes absolutely! Lovely hot too, and if you cook or reheat them just before setting off and wrap them in foil they will stay warm. But just like mini party pizzas – great cold too!