Friday afternoon was spent with my mother and my neice in the kitchen on
a creative bent. I just bought a "calzone maker" from Williams Sonoma
and was dying to try it. This little gadget would be great to make
fruit pies, etc with as well. We had a great time and it was definitely
worth the dirty countertops! Everything was from scratch today - the
dough, the marinara, and the filling!
And if you are really pressed for time, you could get by with using a pre-made pizza crust. They are sold in the cooler by the canned biscuits in your grocery market. You can also stop on the way home and pick up a dough ball at a pizza shop! :)
Marinara Ingredients:
28 oz can crushed tomatoes with basil
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 cup diced onion
1/3 cup diced carrot
fresh herbs oregano, basil, parsley, thyme
1 cup red wine (I used a shiraz)
1 1/2 tsp pizza seasoning (a blend of dried herbs)
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp sugar
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
And if you are really pressed for time, you could get by with using a pre-made pizza crust. They are sold in the cooler by the canned biscuits in your grocery market. You can also stop on the way home and pick up a dough ball at a pizza shop! :)
Marinara Ingredients:
28 oz can crushed tomatoes with basil
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 cup diced onion
1/3 cup diced carrot
fresh herbs oregano, basil, parsley, thyme
1 cup red wine (I used a shiraz)
1 1/2 tsp pizza seasoning (a blend of dried herbs)
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp sugar
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- sauted the garlic, onion, and carrots in a pot for several minutes until they start to soften.
- deglaze with red wine
- add crushed tomatoes and rest of the dry seasonings to the pot
- simmer for 30 minutes or so until you develop the flavor you like
- add a handful of mixed, fresh herbs in the last few minutes and then remove from heat.
Dough:
Get the pizza stone preheated at 500 F from the very beginning! I just love putting some fresh herbs into the dough because it has such a prettier finish with all the specks of color in it... and putting the parmesan cheese into the dough gives it a little more saltiness and changes the texture of the finished product.
- 2-3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup warm water
- 1 pkg yeast
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp canola or olive oil
- 1 tsp each dried herbs (oregano, basil, italian seasoning)
- 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1. Start adding flour (at least one cup) before adding salt, then add cheese and herbs, then more flour.
2. Kneed the dough for 5 - 8 minutes... stretching and turning each time. It will get nice and elastic with a silky feel.
3. Put the oil in a large bowl, turn the dough ball over a couple of times in the oil to coat.
4. Cover the dough with a damp kitchen towel and microwave at Power 1 for 2 minutes, then let rest 10 min. Repeat until dough doubles.
5. Punch down, divide into 6 pieces, and roll out just before ready.
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| The dough after rising for a while |
I would say here to knock yourself our and go crazy with whatever kind of filling you desire. I'm really thinking that chicken, artichoke and spinach in a bechamel sauce would be delicious. Maybe next time!
- 1 lb Italian sausage
- 1 cup marinara
- sliced roma tomatoes
- chunks soft fresh mozzarella
- handful chopped fresh herbs
- your choice of cheese blend
** I hardly EVER recommend pre-grated cheese, because it has much less flavor than cheese you grate yourself, but a "pizza blend" of cheeses would work really well here (yes - the kind in the bag!). If I had one criticism of my final dish, it was that it needed to be more gooey with cheese.... so add more cheese!!
2. Mix the sausage with a cup of the marinara that you have simmering in that pot and smelling up the house.
3. Have other filling ingredients ready - cheese, tomatoes, herbs, etc.
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| chunks of fresh mozzarella |
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| sliced roma tomatoes |
The building process:
This is really the fun part - and the part where you bring in the kids and let everyone participate in the assembly!
Roll out a piece of dough on a floured surface until it's approximately an 8 inch circle. Don't forget to flour your rolling pin as well! You can use the open calzone mold as a guide if this is the method you are using.
Sprinkle the mold with just a tiny bit of flour.
Roll out a piece of dough on a floured surface until it's approximately an 8 inch circle. Don't forget to flour your rolling pin as well! You can use the open calzone mold as a guide if this is the method you are using.
 |
| An 8-inch dough circle |
 |
| cover mold |
 |
| add fillings |
- Flip the dough over and close the mold, pressing to seal and crimp.
 |
| fold |
 |
| crimp |
- If no mold, use your finger to dampen the edges of the dough with water and close the dough, then crimp with a fork to seal.
Parmesan.
  |
| top and decorate |
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| fresh from the oven |
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| the finished calzones |
- These dough balls freeze really well and can be just thawed, and rolled out at a later time.
- The marinara will just improve in flavor if you make it in advance, and it also freezes well.
- So.... this recipe lends itself well to making the components ahead of time and having a "make your own calzone" party; or for most of us, prepping the components on the weekend and putting them together for dinner during the busy week.
- FYI - the Williams-Sonoma Calzone Mold was $12. That was a lot of entertainment for the money!
- In a time crunch, I don't see why you couldn't just get the pre-made pizza dough from the can or freezer section.
- sauted the garlic, onion, and carrots in a pot for several minutes until they start to soften.
- deglaze with red wine
- add crushed tomatoes and rest of the dry seasonings to the pot
- simmer for 30 minutes or so until you develop the flavor you like
- add a handful of mixed, fresh herbs in the last few minutes and then remove from heat.
- Kneed the dough for 5 - 8 minutes... stretching and turning each time. It will get nice and elastic with a silky feel.
- Put the oil in a large bowl, turn the dough ball over a couple of times in the oil to coat.
- Cover the dough with a damp kitchen towel and microwave at Power 1 for 2 minutes, then let rest 10 min. Repeat until dough doubles.
- Punch down, divide into 6 pieces, and roll out just before ready.
Please visit my Recipe Index for more soups and lots of different ideas to cook with/for your family! Here are a few different things:
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