Easter is only a few days away, so that means the prep has begun. Easter, as with many holidays, has many special traditions and so many revolve around food. You may make certain breads or desserts, maybe a certain meal. One food item that we look forward to each year is Calzone!
Calzone is sometimes referred to as Easter Pie, though it’s not sweet. It is a crust stuffed with different, savory ingredients. There are many different versions and different names for this– each unique to different regions, towns, and even families.
In our kitchen commissary, we make two different versions of this Easter Calzone from scratch– a traditional version and a sausage version.
Traditional Calzone
The Traditional Calzone is made with eggs, black olives, onions, and mozzarella cheese. All the ingredients are put into our homemade crust.
This meatless option is great for Good Friday. On Fridays during lent, those partaking are supposed to fast from meat. On Good Friday which is the Friday before Easter, you are supposed to fast.
Fasting in Christianity calls for people to eat one full meal and two smaller meals, but the two smaller meals cannot equal a full meal when put together.
Sausage Calzone
The other version of calzone we offer is a sausage one. This one is our homemade sausage, eggs, black olives, onions, and mozzarella cheese. This calzone is typically enjoyed on Easter day. The addition of meat makes it a heartier calzone. Heartier foods were typically used at feasts. Since Easter is a celebration and everyone is rejoicing, the more ingredients, the better for the calzone with meat!
We will have both the traditional and the sausage calzone in stores!
Romana’s Calzone
On Good Friday, Romana and Angelo would have the calzone as their only meal of the day. Romana would make hers a the Barese way– a homemade crust with a filling consisting of onions, tomatoes, olives, and anchovies… we all know that every Barese recipe has anchovies in it somewhere! We refer to this as Scalcione, another name for the calzone or an onion pie! This calzone was their only meal of the day to respect fasting. Want to see how this is made? Check out her daughter keeping traditions alive in our family and making this delicious Good Friday meal here
From Our Family To Yours
My mother taught me to make a version of this Easter pie. I fill it with various Italian luncheon meats, cheeses and eggs. Then I bake it at 425 for about an hour. It makes for a great lunch.
Mom used to make several for Easter and give them to friends as gifts. I’d feast on it daily until it was gone.
I have a major complaint about Caputo’s Fresh Market. This weekend we are moving to Chattanooga. My complaint is that there are no Caputo’s Fresh Market in Chattanooga. How is my wife going to find the wonderful fresh ricotta to make her wonderful lasagna? Where am I going to find tubs of lupini? No Italian Feast in Chattanooga like in Melrose Park. Oh well, I suppose we’ll be back occasionally to visit. At that time be prepared for my hungry visits.
I am ready to make mine.
Even though all the folks are gone, it is a must that I make these pies every year at Easter.
And guess where I got all of the ingredients?
You guessed it – Caputo’s.
a Blessed Easter everyone!!!