Pizza Recipes: Real Italian Calzones | Submitted By: Jenny

1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast1 cup warm water1 tablespoon olive oil1 teaspoon white sugar1 teaspoon salt2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided1 teaspoon olive oil1/2 cup ricotta cheese1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese1/2 cup diced pepperoni1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms1 tablespoon dried basil leaves1 egg, beatenTo 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. Amount Per Serving  Calories: 356 | Total Fat: 17.9g | Cholesterol: 68mg Powered by ESHA Nutrient Database

Servings Per Recipe: 8

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 356

Total Fat: 17.9gCholesterol: 68mgSodium: 686mgTotal Carbs: 32.3g    Dietary Fiber: 1.6gProtein: 15.6g VIEW DETAILED NUTRITION
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Reviewed on Nov. 5, 2003 by UNACHICA    This was a good recipe. It does need a few adjustments. The recipe should state that the yeast should proof first. I dissolved the sugar in the water with the yeast and let it sit for ten minutes. I didn't use the same toppings, I used ground ham, spinach, a little mozarella, mushrooms and of course ricotta, which makes a "real Italian Calzone, and for a little extra yum, a dash or two of Italian dressing, but the dough was great for calzone. Very chewy and beautiful coloring. I made 4 calzones out of this but cut them in half, so next time I will make 8 small ones. Also it took only 20 minutes when I used my pizza stone, so time should be adjusted for the size of individual servings. Was this review helpful? [ YES ]
277 users found this review helpful This was a good recipe. It does need a few adjustments. The recipe should state that the... Outstanding! Despite having a lot of cooking experience, I had never made pizza dough from scratch or a homemade calzone before tonight. What I did differently: Dough: slightly more yeast (Hodgson Mill All Natural Active Dry Yeast which was a 5/16 oz. pack); divided in four; rolled to 9" cirlcles Filling: used Italian 4-cheese blend; mixed and chilled cheeses, but not toppings; topped with different approximately 1 1/2 cups combined diced pepperoni, diced ham, canned mushrooms, canned and drained diced tomatoes, diced onions, and diced green peppers. Hints: use a lightly floured silicone baking mat - this lets you easily fold half the dough over the filling and transfer to baking sheet; use a small roller for small dough formations; spread your cheese down the middle and work toward one side of the round, adding toppings in the same manner; leave at least a half inch margin on side with filling; lightly brush that half's edge with some of the beaten egg to make sealing the edges easy; serve with a dipping sauce (like "Way Easy Pizza Sauce/Bread Stick Dip" also featured on allrecipes.com - see my review for how I doctored that to fit my tastes and better match my alterations to this calzone recipe). Bottom Line: This was really easy and worth the time required. Adapt to your own taste, keeping in mind the total volume of the filling. Was this review helpful? [ YES ]
79 users found this review helpful Outstanding! Despite having a lot of cooking experience, I had never made pizza dough from...

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