How to Seal Savory Doughs: 5 Ideas to Seal Pies, Pasta and Calzone Doughs!

Sealing a dough is a fundamental step for the success of many preparations, not only from a functional point of view. A well-executed seal, in fact, prevents the filling from leaking out during cooking, preserves the shape of the product, contributes to the crispiness, without forgetting that it can be the right point to create elegant and imaginative decorations, thus also contributing to the aesthetic part.

If we think about the different dishes that we bring to the table, the moment of sealing pieces of dough together happens more often than we can imagine: it happens when we are dealing with savory pies, with fresh stuffed pasta, with delicious calzones and even with appetizing rustic appetizers. In short, whether it is pizza dough, puff pastry or brisée, the sealing phase is really important: below, we have collected five ideas for doing it in the best way, for recipes that are good to eat and beautiful to look at.

1. Savory Pies: Taste Treasure Chests

Savory pies can be made with shortcrust pastry, puff pastry or savory shortcrust pastry. When you plan to cover them completely, it is essential to make sure the two layers stick together well so that they do not separate during cooking. An effective method is to keep the edges of the lower shell high: once the upper disk is inserted, these are folded over themselves with the hands, creating a simple decoration when they are delicately pressed with the fingers. To strengthen the seal, you can wet the perimeter with water before folding, which acts as a natural glue, or brush the entire surface with beaten egg afterwards, thus also giving it a nice golden color.

2. Fresh Stuffed Pasta: Ravioli for Everyone

Before applying any seal, it is useful to know that fresh stuffed pasta must have a balanced thickness: too thin and it risks breaking, too thick and it remains raw, so adjust according to the quantity and humidity of the filling. In the U.S. there are many traditional formats that require textbook sealing, thanks to influences coming from Italian-American cuisine. Our advice? If you are a beginner and want to make a good impression, go for ravioli, which are quite simple to make at home and versatile in terms of condiments, from fish to artichokes: once you have rolled out the dough and arranged the portions of filling in an orderly fashion, brush the edges with water, so that the other sheet of pasta that you overlap adheres perfectly. At this point, apply pressure with your fingers around the "mounds" of filling, to let the air out, and with the help of a serrated wheel, make the ravioli.

3. Calzoni & Co.: The Watchword is To Resist

Calzones, whether fried or baked, require a particularly strong seal to prevent the filling from leaking out. For example, after filling the dough disc, once it has been closed into a crescent shape, press well with your fingers to seal, then you can further refine it by pressing the edge with a fork or folding it over itself to form a cord. If you intend to prepare fried parcels with a large filling, opt for a very strong seal: after sealing with the first press, fold the edge inwards and press again to secure everything even more tenaciously. A practical example? The one used for empanadas, which ensures that the boiling oil does not penetrate inside.

4. Puff Pastry Savory Pies: Perfect Rolls

Puff pastry, thanks to its lightness and crumbly texture, is perfect for preparing rustic dishes, but it needs to be carefully sealed to prevent it from opening in the oven. An easy and creative idea is to create pinwheels, which can be vegetarian, with ricotta and spinach, or meat, with ham. The principle is the same, create a large stuffed roll and then position it: the best way to make a secure seal is to brush the inside with egg (in the part where the final flap of pastry attaches to form the cylinder), so the layers will stay together during cooking.

5. Savory Strudel: Fold Under The Roll

Savory strudel requires a closure that holds the filling without ruining the structure of the shortcrust pastry or puff pastry, the two most commonly used bases. One of the most common techniques is to fold the ends under the roll: once rolled out, fill it in the central part with the filling you prefer and then close it like a wallet following the long side: complete by placing the two short sides under the roll, lifting it slightly. Compact with your hands to give it a good shape, make superficial cuts to avoid irregular swelling during cooking and, finally, brush with beaten egg and garnish as desired with mixed seeds.