Calzones

This is a very popular dish from Cuisine Magazine. When making for guests, we make the dough ahead of time, and let everyone form and build their own calzone. Below are the fillings we used this Sunday. Be creative and post your own filling ideas in the comment section below.

The recipe calls for a starter dough. Don't skip this step. It only takes 5 minutes to makes, and the flavor and texture of the dough will suffer if you don't use it.

Calzone Dough

for the Starter:
1/3 cup + 1 Tbs all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. active dry yeast
3 Tbs cold water

for the Dough:
1/2 cup + 2 Tbs warm water (85 - 95 F)
1 tsp active dry yeast
1 Tbs olive oil
1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. kosher salt

Egg Wash:
1 egg
2 Tbs milk

Filling Options:

Chicken, Roasted Red Peppers, & Artichoke Hearts Calzone:
1 lb chicken tenderloins, cooked
1 jar cooked artichoke hearts, drained
1 jar, roasted red peppers, drained, and chopped
mozzarella cheese
ricotta cheese

Pizza Filling Calzones
8 oz, Pepperoni, sliced thin
1/4 lb frozen meatballs, thawed
1 medium onion, sliced thin and sauteed
1 medium green pepper, sliced thin and sauteed (with onions)
mozzarella cheese
ricotta cheese



Starter:

1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour and salt. In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Pour liquid over flour and stir with a fork.
2. Stir until all flour is incorporated. Mixture will be a stiff, heavy blob. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature.
3. After fermenting for 15-24 hours, the starter has grown and is ready for the final dough. It's bubbly and smells yeasty.

Dough:

1. Whisk the yeast in warm water (85 - 95F). After foam appears (about 5 minutes), whisk in the oil. In separate bowl, combine flour and salt.
2. To loosen the sponge, pour the liquid yeast mixture around the edge. Stir it lightly. The sponge will begin to pull away from the bowl.
3. Add dry ingredients to the sponge mixture and stir until allt he flour is moistened. The dough will be sticky and full of lumps.
   
4. It's time to knead. Turn dough out onto floured work surface. Lift and fold half of dough towards you. Flour hands and surface as needed.
5. Press down and away from you with heel of hand. Keep hands floured. Give dough quarter-turns; repeat steps 4 & 5. Kead 8-10 minutes.
6. Form 1 large ball. Dust with flour. Cover with plastic. Let rest 20 minutes. Cut into quarters. Tuck into 4 balls. Cover and let rise 2 hours.
7. After dough has rishe 2 hours, flour surface. Flip 1 ball over (keep others covered). Press dough with fingertips to form circle.
8. With both hands at top of dough, grasp the edge and rotate. This stretches the dough. Enlarges to a circle 7-8" in diameter.
9. Lay down the dough circle and check for any uneven spots. With your fingers, gently lift and stretch out any thick spots.
10. Put dough on parchment-lined baking sheet. Place fillings on half of circle leaving 3/4" clean border at edge of dough.
11. Lift edge of unfilled side and pull slightly towards you. This streches dough so you can cover filling to meet edge on other side.
12. Press edges to creat seal. Crimping ensures a tight bond between the two edges. Press each indentation twice to really seal it.
13. Calzones look better with an egg wash. Lightly brush each one with egg mixture.
14. Bake 10-12 minutes in 500 F oven until calzones are golden. Seve with warm marinara sauce