Homemade Calzones

Homemade Calzones - This recipe makes two large calzones or four smaller ones that are filled with mozzarella, ricotta and all of your favorite pizza toppings.

A few years back, a friend came to me in need of some advice.  You see, there was a special occasion quickly approaching.  It was an event that doesn't come around too often.  One that requires extra special consideration and preparation.  She was cooking dinner for her boyfriend for the very first time.  With no menu planned and no ideas in sight, she turned to me to help her come up with a man-pleasing, sure to impress and low stress recipe that wouldn't leave her beau hitting the drive-thru on the way home.

I began mentally scrolling through my repertoire and brainstorming with her to find the perfect recipe.  We finally decided that homemade calzones were the way to go.  She was confident she could pull them off and make a good "first meal" impression.

She didn't have a bread machine to make the dough like I do, but I assured her that either a tube of Pillsbury pizza dough or the raw dough that some grocery stores carry in the bakery section would work as a substitution.   I was thrilled the next day when she called me to let me know that the calzones were a hit.  I'm telling ya', they're gooood!

Homemade Calzones



Yield: Two large calzones.  You could also split the dough and filling four ways for smaller calzones.

Ingredients

• DOUGH
• 1 cup of water (My bread machine was having a tough time kneading the dough, so I added an additional Tbsp of water)
• 2 tbsp of olive oil
• 1 tsp of salt
• 3 cups of flour
• 1¼ tsp of active dry yeast  
• FILLING
• 1 cup of ricotta cheese, split
• 8 oz of mozzarella cheese, shredded, split
• any meats or vegetables that you like (We add diced pepperoni and onions.  Anything you would order on your pizza can be added in, so make it your own!)
• olive oil for brushing
• crushed red pepper, oregano, garlic salt and parmesan cheese for dusting

Instructions

1. Place first five ingredients in your bread machine in the order listed.
2. Set the machine to the dough setting and let the machine go to work!
3. On a lightly floured surface (cornmeal would work, too!), cut the dough into two equal pieces and roll each out into a circle until the dough is about a ¼ inch thick.  
4. Preheat oven to 400°.
5. Spread ½ cup of the ricotta onto half of the dough making sure to stay within a half inch of the edge.  Top with half of the mozzarella and any additional toppings.  Repeat with the second calzone.
6. Fold the dough over the filling and press the edges to seal. 
7. Brush the tops of the calzones with olive oil and sprinkle with crushed red pepper, oregano, garlic salt and parmesan cheese.
8. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until the calzone is golden brown.
9. Serve with your favorite sauce for dipping.