Calzone

Like pizza?  You'll love Calzone, then.  It's like an inside-out-pizza!  This recipe serves 4.

Calzone

Ingredients for dough

½ tsp. honey

2 ½ cups all purpose flour (plus a little for kneading dough)

1 cup warm water

1 pack dry yeast

¼ tsp. salt

½ tsp. olive oil (plus a little for oiling the bowl)

Ingredients for Calzone filling

¾ lb. ground Italian sausage

1 tsp. olive oil

1 medium onion, coarsely chopped

¼ cup chopped bell peppers

1 cup thinly sliced mushrooms

1 ½ cups grated mozzarella cheese

½ cup grated Monterey Jack cheese

¼ to ½ cup of black olives, sliced (optional)

one egg, beaten

Parmesan cheese, grated

For the sauce:  See Tomato Sauce #2 on our blog

Directions for the dough

·         Add the honey to a large bowl, then add the hot water and sprinkle with the packet of yeast

·         Stir and let sit for a few minutes

·         Add the salt and olive oil, then sprinkle with one cup of the flour and stir with a spatula

·         Add another cup of flour and mix well, then add the remaining ½ cup of flour and stir by hand until combined

·         On a floured surface, knead the dough until no longer sticky (add a little more flour if needed), about 5 minutes

·         Form the dough into a ball and place in a bowl greased with olive oil

·         Coat the dough well with the olive oil, rolling it around the sides of the bowl

·         Cover with a towel and place in a warm, dry place for about one hour to rise

Directions for Calzones

·         In a medium skillet, lightly brown the sausage in 1 tsp. olive oil, remove the sausage to a bowl, drain and set aside, reserving the oil

·         Add the onion and bell pepper to the oil, and cook over medium heat until soft

·         Remove the onion and bell pepper to a bowl

·         Add mushrooms to the same oil, cook over medium-low until they give off their liquid, then remove and set aside in a bowl

·         Divide the risen dough in to 4 portions, and roll each out to about 8” around

·         Top each piece of dough with some of Tomato Sauce #2, keeping it about ½” away from the edges

·         Top with Italian sausage, onions, peppers, mushrooms and cheeses (and olives if using)

·         Fold dough over (half-moon style), pinch and twist edges to seal them

·         Brush the egg over the entire top of each Calzone

·         Bake at 350° for about 20 minutes

·         Serve topped with more of the Tomato Sauce #2 and a little Parmesan cheese.  Enjoy!