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PhrasesAt the PizzeriaUn calzone fritto, per favore.
A2

Un calzone fritto, per favore.

A fried calzone, please.

Pronunciation

cal-ZO-ne — three syllables, stress on second. The 'z' is like 'ts'.

When to use it

When ordering a calzone — a folded pizza. The Neapolitan version is typically fried; the baked version is more common in the rest of Italy.

What it means

'Calzone' literally means 'trouser leg' — named for its shape. The Neapolitan calzone fritto is filled with ricotta, salami, and provola and deep-fried. The baked version is stuffed with similar ingredients and cooked in the oven.

Variations

Un calzone al forno.

A baked calzone.

Oven-baked version — common throughout Italy outside Naples

Come è ripieno il calzone?

What is the calzone filled with?

Ask about the filling before ordering — varies significantly by pizzeria

Un calzone con ricotta e salame.

A calzone with ricotta and salami.

The classic Neapolitan filling — specify if you want to be sure of the ingredients

Mini Dialogue

— Un calzone fritto, per favore. — Ripieno classico — ricotta, salame, provola? — Perfetto così. — Lo faccio friggere subito — viene bello gonfio.

— A fried calzone, please. — Classic filling — ricotta, salami, provola? — Perfect like that. — I'll fry it right away — it comes out nicely puffed up.

Cultural Note

The calzone fritto is one of the great Neapolitan street foods — sold from stalls and shops throughout the city. The fried version predates the baked calzone and is considered the authentic original. In Naples, the best calzoni fritti are found at street stalls near the Quartieri Spagnoli.