For readers who have been around since this websites start in 2006, you might remember my posts reminiscing of the Calizza I used to have at Pizza Hut back in 1987 (ish) when I was a teenager. Baked in a personal sized pizza pan, it was a cheese stuffed crust, folded over and served with sauce but not one bit of red sauce was included in the entree, nor was there any meat. I have to go purely on memory from 20 years ago, but I knew at the time it was full of a ricotta cheese filling with bits of something green.... and I loved them.They soon stopped making them and I've been on a small quest over the past 10 or 15 years to try to recreate this dish. Last week I came close. I saw a recipe for a ricotta flan and although it was nothing like the Calizza, my creative mind started to spin and I decided to give it a go. In the end I was close... closer than ever before. There was one thing missing, which I'll comment on at the end.
Here is what I did;
3 Cheese Calizza
15 oz. Ricotta Cheese
1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 c grated Mozzarella
1 large egg
1 1/2 t chopped basil (use 2 T fresh or about 2 t jarred in oil)
1 1/2 t chopped chives, fresh
1 1/2 t minced/chopped garlic
1/4 t paprika
salt and fresh ground black pepper
Pizza Dough
Mix the cheeses, herbs and egg together until creamy. Divide your pizza dough into 4 balls and roll each into a flat circle on a pizza stone or a greased baking sheet. Divide the filling between the four, placing only on half of the circle, fold over and use a fork to seal the edges. Brush the tops with oil. Bake at 375 until golden brown. Brush with butter or oil when it comes out of the oven. Serve with either a side of pizza sauce or garlic butter.
*Comments
Herbs/Spices are approximate. Add more or less to your personal taste if you like heavy basil or oregano or garlic. The cheese amounts are approximate as well but the ricotta base is the most important. These were delicious but not like Pizza Hut's due to the fact they were not baked in a cast iron pan with lots of oil - as was Pizza Huts trademark Pan Pizza's and Calizzas. I will absolutely make these again, but will bake them in a small pie tin (as I don't have a personal pan pizza pan) with 2 T oil and will see if it makes the difference I'm looking for.
Mixing the cheeses
Seal the edges with a fork so the cheese filling doesn't leak out while baking
Bake until golden brown
Serve with pizza sauce or melted butter infused with garlic and parsley
Wow - I totally loved the Calizzas waaaaay back in the day. I have been meaning to look for a recipe and your's is the first I am able to find. I will definitely give it a try. Do you ever get a response from Pizza Hut? I'd be thrilled if they brought them back.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the memories!
in more recent years, the closest I have been able to find is the stromboni from boston pizza but the fillings are all wrong. What I recall about the calliza is that there was almost an egg component to the dough- like a pastry really. They did not make them in the restaurants, they came pre made. Pizza hut uses a flour that comes from france, and the calizza had a dough that was very much european in origin- but not traditional pizza crust. That was a hugh key difference. If anyone finds a true replica, please respond! would love to get a recipie. Also, pizza hut ovens bake at about 550 degrees, with the special pans... hard to replicate at home, but with the proper dough, it could be a million dollar idea...
ReplyDeleteCheese calizza was my favorite. They said they quit maikng it because they were giving them away because they could'nt have them ready for their 5 minute lunch guarantee. Anyway I recall they put some cheddar cheese in the calizza. I read it in an old menu one time. I don't think much but enough to add a tiny bit of flavor.
ReplyDeleteSorry about the typo. Shouldn't type so fast.
ReplyDeletetrue to the letter; they could not make them in five minutes, especially since if they were busy, the ovens could not move that fast. In one way they were a loss leader, in another, they were really the best thing ever made at the restaurant. What I dont get is, why would they ever go with the almost insulting version called the P'zone. Sure they might have been easier to make, but when they have a winner, what else but to stick with it. Really, it would be like Mcdonalds removing the big mac from its menu after documented success. All they had to do is remove the 5 minute deal, and everyone would have been happy! lol.
ReplyDelete