Line School: How to Make Perfect Calzones & Stuffed Rolls

Meet the Pizza Maker Behind the Technique

Andrew Gjeloshi of River Oaks Pizzeria in Myrtle Beach, S.C., learned how to sling dough and bake New York-style pies from his father, an immigrant from Kosovo who worked as a baker in the Little Italy area of the Bronx in the ‘80s. Gjeloshi is a proud, second-generation pizzeria co-owner along with his brother, who helped expand the business south. He shows us how to make River Oaks’ famous calzones and meat- and cheese-stuffed rolls (similar to stromboli).

4 Steps to Restaurant Quality Calzones

Step 1: Work the dough

“Flour a 6- or 8-inch dough ball, and then I like to make dimples lightly with my fingertips to loosen it up. I might give the dough a quick toss from one side to the other, or give it one or two stretches to form a flattened, round shape. I don’t like to crush all the air out and rip through it.” For rolls, form a 10-inch rectangle.

Step 2: Add your fillings

“Keep your cheese in the center. We add the mozzarella, ricotta, and then we do a little more mozz over the top. You could also add some pepperoni, sausage or other filling.” For rolls, add toppings left to right, leaving space along the edges like a border.

Step 3: Seal tightly

“Fold one side over the other to create a half-moon shape. Use your pizza cutter to press down lightly around the edges to seal it nice and tight, then go around the edges with the cutter to cut off the excess.” For rolls, carefully roll up from left to right, seal the edges and make a few diagonal cuts for steam vents.

Step 4: Bake and serve

“Bake for 10 to 12 minutes at 500 degrees. When the calzones come out, brush them lightly with high quality extra-virgin olive oil, or you could use butter. We serve our calzones and rolls with our homemade red sauce on the side.” For rolls, slice the baked log into 2 inch hand-held portions, perfect for dipping.

Hot Tip: Save your dough scraps! Use them as a starter for a new batch of dough or make garlic knots with dipping sauces. 

Visit MOXē^® to order your ingredients for making calzones and rolls.