A calzone is an Italian oven-baked turnover made with leavened dough that originated in Naples in the 18th century. It is typically made from salted bread dough, baked in an oven, and stuffed with a variety of ingredients such as salami, ham, vegetables, and cheeses like ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, and provolone. The dough is folded in half over the filling and sealed with an egg mixture in a half-moon shape or sometimes shaped into a ball by pinching and sealing all the edges at the top. It is then either baked or fried. Different regional variations in or on a calzone can often include other ingredients that are normally associated with pizza toppings. Sandwich-sized calzones are often sold at Italian lunch counters or by street vendors because they are easy to eat while standing or walking. Fried versions of the calzone are typically filled with tomato and mozzarella and are called "panzerotti".

The main difference between a calzone and a stromboli is how they are sealed and their shape and size. A calzone is like a taco, while a stromboli is like a burrito. Calzones are always folded, while strombolis are always rolled. Calzones are generally single-serving and start with a circle of pizza dough, while strombolis are larger and longer and are baked as one piece and then cut into slices for serving a crowd. The fillings for both are similar and can include Italian cheeses and cured meats, but calzones tend to have more ricotta cheese, while strombolis use mozzarella cheese. Calzones are typically cut in half to serve one or two people and are accompanied by marinara sauce for dipping, while strombolis are sliced into multiple servings.