Meatless Calzone From Southern Italy Recipes

MEATLESS CALZONE FROM SOUTHERN ITALY

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, add yeast and pour in 3/4 cup lukewarm water. Add the olive oil and stir to combine. Let sit for 10 minutes until slightly foamy.
• Add the flour and salt and mix well (by hand or with a dough hook). Turn onto a lightly floured board and knead for 5 minutes until you have a soft and smooth dough. If the dough gets sticky while kneading, add just a bit of flour at a time.
• Place in a clean bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap and let sit in a warm place for about 2 hours, until doubled in size.
• Escarole and radicchio are bitter greens, which is a huge health benefit, but we want to tone down the bitter flavor for this calzone. First, bring 2 quarts of water to a boil, add 2 tsp. salt and add the whole escarole and radicchio leaves. Blanch for 1 minute and remove. Cool and finely chop.
• In a medium saucepan, heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil and add the garlic cloves. Heat slowly for 2 minutes to infuse the flavor into the oil. Next, add the pine nuts and, again, slowly heat to toast for a minute or two (careful not to burn the nuts). Lastly, add chopped escarole/radicchio blend, raisins, olives, and a pinch of salt. Continue heating and stirring for 3 minutes to heat through and marry all the flavors. Take out the whole garlic cloves and either discard or use in a salad or soup. Remove filling from heat and let cool while rolling out the dough.
• When the dough has risen, turn out onto a floured board. To make 8 individual calzones, divide the dough into eight equal balls. With a rolling pin, roll into 4-inch circles. Add a spoonful of filling into the center of each calzone.
• Fold over to form a half-moon and pinch the edges to seal. Using the end of a fork, press around the edge to make sure the seal is tight.
• In a large skillet, heat ⅓ cup olive oil. Frying four at a time, fry each calzone for 3 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Stack a few paper towels on a plate and place the cooked calzone on top to absorb some of the olive oil.
• Serve hot with a sprig of fresh parsley. These calzones may be served for supper or as an appetizer. Buon appetito!

CLASSIC MEAT LOVER'S CALZONES RECIPE BY TASTY

Steps:

• Make the dough: In a medium bowl, combine the warm water, yeast, flour, and salt. Mix with a rubber spatula until well-combined and the dough comes together into a ball.
• Lightly flour a clean surface, then turn the dough out and knead for 1-2 minutes to smooth and encourage gluten development. Shape the dough into a ball.
• Drizzle the olive oil in a clean large bowl. Add the dough ball and turn to coat in the oil. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
• Preheat the oven to 425˚F (220˚C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• While the dough is rising, make the filling: Add the sausage to a medium nonstick pan over medium heat and cook until no longer pink, 5-6 minutes. Add the onion, salt, and pepper and continue to cook until the sausage is browned, about 5 minutes more. Remove from the heat and let cool.
• After the dough has risen, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into 4 portions, then roll each into and round about ¼-inch (½ cm) thick.
• Spread ¼ of the sauce over one half of each dough round, leaving a ½-inch (1 cm) border along the edge. Top each one with 2 slices of ham, 5 pepperoni, ¼ of the sausage and onion mixture, and ¼ cup (25 G) of mozzarella cheese.
• Lightly beat the egg with a pinch of salt. Brush the egg wash on the border of the dough, fold the other half over, and press the edges together. Starting from one corner, fold the dough over itself in a twist. Tuck the other corner underneath. Transfer the calzones to the prepared baking sheet. Brush lightly with egg wash and score the tops with a knife to allow steam to escape.
• Bake for 15-17 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool for 5 minutes.
• Serve the calzones with marinara sauce for dipping, if desired.
• Enjoy!