Calzonedilla Italian Quesadilla Recipes

ITALIAN QUESADILLAS

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a heavy large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onions and sugar, and cook until the onions are golden brown, about 20 minutes. Season the onions, to taste, with salt and pepper; set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.
• Sprinkle some Fontina over half of a tortilla. Arrange some bell peppers and sauteed onions on top of the Fontina. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and Parmesan. Sprinkle more Fontina over. Fold the clean half over the filling to cover and press gently to seal. Repeat with remaining tortillas evenly dividing the filling ingredients.
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil on a heavy large griddle over medium heat. Working in batches, cook the quesadillas until the cheese melts and the tortillas are golden brown, adding more oil as needed, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the quesadillas to baking sheets and keep them warm in the oven while cooking the remaining quesadillas.
• Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan over the quesadillas. Cut each quesadilla into 4 wedges. Arrange them on a platter. Garnish the platter with parsley sprigs and serve.

REAL ITALIAN CALZONES

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.

CALZONEDILLA (ITALIAN QUESADILLA)

Steps:

• Heat a large skillet on medium-high.
• Add olive oil.
• When skillet is heated, put tortilla in pan (make sure to move tortilla around in pan to spread out oil, if it stays in one place).
• Add mozzarella cheese, then herbs, spices and optional ingredients to one half of tortilla.
• Fold tortilla over onto ingredients.
• Use a lid from a large pot or skillet to cover (helps to melt cheese faster).
• Cook for about 30-45 seconds, or until tortilla starts to get light brown spots.
• Flip tortilla, cover and cook for an additional 30-45 seconds, also until light brown spots.
• Serve hot.

ITALIAN QUESADILLAS

Steps:

• In a mixing bowl combine the tomatoes, basil, olive oil and season to taste with balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper.
• In a mixing bowl combine the mozzarella cheese, ricotta, green onion, olives and artichoke hearts; season with salt and crushed red pepper flakes.
• Spread some mixture on one half of each tortillas, leaving about 1/4-inch between the filling and the edge of the tortilla. Fold each tortilla in half. Fry the tortillas in a little bit of vegetable oil for about a minute a side until golden and cheese has melted; keep warm in low oven until ready to serve. Top with tomatoes and basil and pine nuts.
• Alternate way to do is to preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spread stuffing over entire surface of tortillas without folding them. Set them on a baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes or until cheese has melted. Fold over and serve with topping.
• Especially good for children: set aside some plain mozzarella mixed with ricotta and fill the kids tortillas with this rather than the more elaborate filling.

RACHAEL RAY'S CAPRESE MEZZA LUNA (ITALIAN QUESADILLA)

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a small pot with garlic until it bubbles, simmer a minute. Brush a skillet with garlic oil and heat over medium-high heat.
• Add the first tortilla and blister it 30 seconds, flip and cover half of the surface with arranged layers of mozzarella, basil and tomatoes, season with salt and pepper and fold over the quesadilla.
• Cook 30 seconds on each side to set. Remove from pan and repeat. Cut into quarters and serve as appetizers.