Real Italian Calzones Recipes

Steps:

• In a small bowl dissolve yeast in the warm (not hot!) water. Add 1 tablespoons of the oil, sugar and salt, and mix in 1 cup of the flour until smooth. Gradually stir in the rest of the flour until the dough is smooth and workable.
• Knead dough on a lightly floured surface for about 5 minutes or until it is elastic. Lay dough in a bowl containing the other teaspoon of olive oil, flipping to coat dough in the oil. Cover and let rise from 40 minutes or until almost doubled.
• While dough is rising combine all remaining ingredients except for the egg in a large bowl, cover and refrigerate to chill.
• Preheat the oven to 375°F.
• When the dough is ready, punch it down and separate it into two equal parts. Roll the halves individually out into thin circles on a lightly floured surface.
• Fill one half of each circle with half of the filling mixture and fold over. Seal the edges by pressing with a fork.
• Brush the top of each calzone with the egg wash and place on a greased cookie sheet.
• Bake at 375°F for 30 minutes or until golden brown and heated through.
• Serve with warmed tomato sauce if desired!

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
• Combine first 7 ingredients in a bowl. Roll each pizza dough out on a cookie sheet, and halve each cross-wise. Spread 1/2 cup mozzarella and up to 1/4 of filling on each rectangle. Work on just half of the surface of each rectangle of dough, then fold dough over top of filling and pinch edges firmly to seal. For a half-moon "pizza parlor" look to your calzones, mound filling into a half-moon shape, fold dough over top trim edges of dough to follow the rounded shape, then seal edges.
• Tie strips of dough scraps in knots, brush with garlic oil and sprinkle with grated cheese. Bake knots with calzones.
• If your dough tears, remove a little of the filling and repair. Repeat the process, spacing the calzones evenly on baking sheet. Bake the calzones for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown all over. Serve calzones with warm tomato or pizza sauce for dunking.
• Cook's Note: Freeze any remaining filling in a small plastic container and use it to stuff a chicken breast on another day.
• Add olive oil to medium saucepan over moderate heat. Add garlic and crushed pepper to the heated olive oil; when pepper snaps and garlic sizzles, stir in crushed tomatoes. Season sauce with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Cook for five minutes and stir in parsley. Serve.
• Yield: 4 servings

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 F.
• Brown sausage in a small skillet in a drizzle of olive oil. Transfer the cooked crumbled sausage to a paper towel lined plate to drain.
• Combine sausage with ricotta, parsley, garlic, Parmigiano, nutmeg, pepper, and pimento. Roll out doughs and halve cross-wise. Place a dough rectangle on a nonstick cookie sheet. Use 1/2 cup mozzarella on half of each dough rectangle and pile a mound of filling on half of the total area. Fold dough over and pinch edges to seal. The result is a rectangular turnover.
• For half-moon shaped calzones, trim excess dough. Roll dough bits into strips, tie in knots and brush with garlic oil and cheese. Garlic knots are fun to dip at the table.
• Bake calzones 15 minutes or until golden all over. Serve calzones with warm tomato, marinara, or pizza sauce for dipping.
• Cook's Note: For an additional time saver, 2 packages precooked sausage crumbles, 8 ounces each, may be substituted for raw Italian sausage used in the above recipe.
• Add olive oil to medium saucepan over moderate heat. Add garlic and crushed pepper to the heated olive oil; when pepper snaps and garlic sizzles, stir in crushed tomatoes. Season sauce with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Cook for five minutes and stir in parsley. Serve.
• Yield: 4 servings

Steps:

• To Make Dough: In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Add the oil, sugar and salt; mix in 1 cup of the flour until smooth. Gradually stir in the rest of the flour, until dough is smooth and workable. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface for about 5 minutes, or until it is elastic. Lay dough in a bowl containing 1 teaspoon olive oil, then flip the dough, cover and let rise for 40 minutes, or until almost doubled.
• To Make Filling: While dough is rising, combine the ricotta cheese, Cheddar cheese, pepperoni, mushrooms and basil leaves in a large bowl. Mix well, cover bowl and refrigerate to chill.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• When dough is ready, punch it down and separate it into 2 equal parts. Roll parts out into thin circles on a lightly floured surface. Fill each circle with 1/2 of the cheese/meat filling and fold over, securing edges by folding in and pressing with a fork. Brush the top of each calzone with egg and place on a lightly greased cookie sheet.
• Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 30 minutes. Serve hot.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°F.
• Lightly grease a very large baking sheet and sprinkle with cornmeal, set aside.
• Drain tomatoes well, reserving oil.
• In a medium bowl, combine the tomatoes, turkey and/or pepperoni, and olives.
• Stir in the mozzarella cheese.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll each package of pizza dough to a 12 x 9 rectangle.
• Using a 3 inch round cutter, cut each rectangle into ten 3 inch circles.
• Place about 1 tablespoon of the meat/cheese mix slightly off centre on each dough circle.
• Fold dough over mixture, forming a semicircle.
• Seal the edge of each semicircle with the tines of a fork.
• Place the calzones on a prepared baking sheet.
• Brush the tops with the reserved oil from tomatoes and sprinkle with parmesan cheese and, if desired, cayenne pepper.
• Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until calzones are golden.
• Serve warm.
• MAKE AHEAD: Prepare and bake calzones as directed.
• Remove to a wire rack and cool completely.
• Place the calzones in a freezer container or freezer bag.
• Seal, label and freeze for up to 2 months.
• To reheat, preheat oven to 350°F.
• Place the frozen calzones on an ungreased baking sheet.
• Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until heated through.
• If necessary, cover loosely with foil to prevent overbrowning.