There’s Nothing Italian in a Karipap

Calzone with Marinara sauce boat. Photo by Doris Lim

 

It’s the picture on the menu that does it for me. That folded “D” with crimped edges. There’s an intriguing sauce boat by the side. It the half-light (read romantic) I could barely make out the description.

 

It had the necessary ingredients to determine its originality. Pepperoni, Mozzarella and Parmesan; with Marinara Sauce.  A calzone is a folded Italian pizza shaped like a half moon and baked like a giant curry puff. It does look like a Cornish pastry if you prop it to “stand” up.

 

Sandwich-sized calzones are often sold at Italian lunch counters or by street vendors because they are easy to eat while standing or walking.

 

The waitress asked if we would like it open instead. “Huh? Then it a pizza right?” we teased.

 

We spied pumpkins with gruesome and menacing stares. Black paper bats hang upside down over the bar counter and the chandelier deck out with cotton wool. Amazing stuff this, cotton wool thing, can look like snow and cobwebs! It depends of course on the month.

 

After a good 20min wait there it was, sitting pretty on my twelve inch plate. Puffed and brown like half a sun burnt baby bottom. We cut into it. The mozzarella and Parmesan spill out like a compressed plastic bottle of good Japanese mayo.

 

We ate as fast as we could before the cheese cooled down to gum like consistency. It was just pepperoni and cheese and more cheese. Way too much cheese. Where’s the lovely tomatoes and spinach.

 

Did we like it? Nah…. Give me a good solid potatoes and chicken filled spicy giant curry puff any time of the day or night.

 

Hey, anyone have an Antacid? I’m feeling bloated, gassy and can feel that heartburn.

 

Calzone with Marinara Sauce on top. Photo by Doris Lim

Karipap of Curry puff is a popular Malaysian snack. It’s a small pie made with thick or dry curried chicken and potatoes in a pastry shell and deep fried. It looks like a Portuguese Empanadas.