Panzerotti vs Calzone and so on down the line
The following question came up in conversation today. What's the difference between a Panzerotto and a Calzone? Somebody said one is bigger. Somebody said Panzerotti are fried. Somebody said one was invented in New Jersey. Somebody said the gooey stuff inside each is different. What's the straight goods? And when we figure that out, answer me this - What's the difference between both of them and a stromboli? Now I know all are different than a pasty, but then I've never had a genuine Cornish pasty, only the ones on the Upper Michigan Peninsula. Then there is the matter of the sambusa. And the empanada. And the pupusa. I'm sure some google searches would clear up these here waters, but why go to google when I can turn to that most super-intelligent group, ready for Mensa, the Mister Anchovy readership.
Can you define all these tasty stuffed delights? What's your favourite? Which ones am I missing?
14 comments:
You lost me at stromboli! I'm confused but starving.
I don't think I've had a stromboli either...but I've been told they are more log-shaped.
Ahhh, yum. I would suspect that some differences are regional. Here a Calzone is like a pizza, only the cheese, pepperoni, etc., (your choice of pizza-like filling) is enclosed with the dough.
In Costa Rica the empanadas were exquisite (as all the food is there), they seemed to be made of some sort of meat, potato, and spice mixture, rolled up and deep fried. Oh, my they are good.
Well, Stromboli is an island in the Tyrrhenian Sea. That's all I know.
Stromboli is a roll that you slice, I believe. I've made it once.
Calzone, like Gardenia said, is like an inside-out pizza. I'm not sure about panzerotti.
Red of Red's Page (*Asterisk's wife) would know; she is of Italian decent. As would Milla of Milla's Wheel.
Calzone is like a folded pizza that, just like pizza, is cooked in the oven, whereas a panzerotto is deep fried. In my personal experience, panzerotti are also smaller than calzoni. And naughtier, but oh, so much nicer!
No idea what a stromboli is, but I am quite partial to arancini...
Pupusas, empanadas etc I think are just different regional names for a version of a similar type of food (dough stuffed with...whatever).
I always associate pupusas with el Salvador and as being round as opposed to the half moon shape. I love Pupusas stuffed with beans (of course) and cilantro with a fresh made salsa.
Now I know what a Panzerotto is. This is like the Canneloni vs Manicotti debate I've heard db and his brother have. I'm still not sure of the difference and if it's just regional or not?
We had great panzerotti in Milan. Mmmmmmm. Thanks for the memory!
I find calzoni are never as good as the idea of a calzone.
Panzarotti: Smaller than a calzone and stromboli, is deep fried and may be finished in the oven. A panzarotti also contains sauce inside.
Calzone: Larger than a panzarotti, baked and has no sauce. The sauce is used as a dip on the side.
Stromboli: Has the sauce inside but is rolled, baked and sliced to serve...more like a sandwhich.
Hope this helps.
Michele B. Kelowna, B.C.
I would say that a calzone is baked and is more like a pizza roll and a panzerotti from Puglia region has very little sauce and is fried.
Panzerotties are deep fried, Calzones are baked. The ingredients for both are basically the same. Stromboli usually does not contain any tomato sauce. The dough is rolled out like a pizza. The toppings are placed over all the dough then rolled into a log and baked. That's the way it is in NJ where we have the best of all three!!
I'm also in NJ and we do have all three (just across the river from Philly), but our calzones have no sauce inside. They have sauce on the side to dip them in. The Panzarottis (also called pizza turnovers) are basically pizzas folded in half and either fried or baked (we have a choice). Strombolis, though, are loaves of bread with savory goodness rolled in them such as mozzarella and pepperoni or sausage and then rolled like you'd roll a cinnamon roll before baking. You slice them like bread and enjoy. But, I've come to an understanding that some calzones have sauce inside, so I'm not sure if that makes ours a regional thing or not.
You didn't know that. Google knew that.
Ok people....
Calzone folded pizza type with no sauce on the inside, generally cheese and cured meats, vegetables according to region, sauce served on the side
Panzarotti like calzone but sauce inside, usually fried but baked is possible
Strombolis square pizza rolled and baked generally served sliced
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