Three Cheese Calzone With A Quick Tomato Sauce Food

THREE-CHEESE CALZONES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
• Make the filling: Mix the mozzarella, ricotta, basil, scallions, 1/4 cup parmesan and the breadcrumbs in a medium bowl until combined. Divide the pizza dough into 4 equal pieces. Roll out each piece on a lightly floured surface into a 7-to-8-inch round.
• Spoon one-quarter of the filling onto one half of each dough round, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Lightly brush the edges of the dough with some of the beaten egg; fold the dough over the filling and crimp the edges with a fork to seal. Transfer the calzones to the prepared baking sheet.
• Brush the calzones with the remaining beaten egg and cut 2 slits in the top of each to let steam escape. Sprinkle the calzones with the remaining 2 teaspoons parmesan, then bake until golden brown and cooked through, 18 to 20 minutes. Serve with marinara sauce, the salami and giardiniera.

THREE-CHEESE CALZONES

Steps:

• Prepare a grill for diffused indirect heat by building the hot coals evenly around the perimeter of the grill. Remove the center ring from the grill grate and insert a medium cast-iron skillet. Invert another larger cast-iron skillet over the top. This acts as a pizza oven for your outdoor grill. (If using a gas grill, heat to medium-high heat.)
• For the calzone dough: Add the flour, honey, salt and yeast to a food processor and pulse a few times to combine. Then add 1 3/4 cups room temperature water and the olive oil and pulse again until the dough comes together into a rough ball and rides around the bowl. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead a few times until a smooth elastic ball forms. Divide the dough into 3 equal pieces and place each in a quart-sized deli container or gallon-sized resealable plastic bag with a drizzle of olive oil. Allow to sit at room temperature for 1 hour, then refrigerate overnight and up to 5 days. This makes enough for 3 calzones. Save the extra dough in the freezer for another time. It will last up to 2 months.
• When ready to use, remove the dough from the refrigerator and take it out of its storage vessel while still cold. Allow the dough to rest at room temperature for 1 hour before grilling.
• For the cheese mixture: In the meantime, combine the ricotta, mozzarella, pecorino and herbs in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
• To make the calzones: On a lightly floured surface, roll out 2 balls of dough into 6-inch rounds. Spoon half of the cheese mixture onto each round, spreading it evenly but leaving a 1-inch border, then fold each round over in half. Crimp the edges with a fork or your fingers to seal it and place them onto the inverted cast-iron. Cover the grill and bake for 15 minutes. Use a pastry brush to brush the tops of the calzones with extra-virgin olive oil, cover the grill and bake until golden brown and the dough is cooked through, another 5 minutes.
• Remove from the grill and let sit for a few minutes before digging in!
• (Alternatively, you can place the calzones on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake in a 375 degrees F oven until golden brown and the dough is cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let sit for a few minutes before eating.)

QUICK TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• In a blender or food processor coarsely puree tomatoes with juice and in a heavy saucepan stir together with remaining ingredients. Simmer sauce, stirring occasionally, 40 minutes, or until slightly thickened. Sauce may be made ahead, cooled completely, uncovered, and chilled, covered, 2 days or frozen 1 month.

QUICK TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Open the can of tomatoes and pour off the juice into a bowl. Use the lid to press against the tomatoes to extract as much juice as possible. Then use your hand to squeeze the tomatoes to a pulp. Reserve the juice and pulp separately and set the empty can aside.
• Heat the olive oil in a heavy saucepan over medium high heat until hot. If using the jalapeno, tilt the pan to collect the oil in a little pool against the side and drop the jalapeno into the oil. Cook until lightly brown, about 2 minutes. Remove the jalapeno and reserve.
• Add the onion to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook briefly until light gold. Add the tomato juice and bring to a boil. Simmer rapidly for several minutes. Add the crushed tomato pulp. Then rinse the remaining pulp out of the can by filling it halfway with water and add that to the pan. Add the bay leaf, jalapeno, if using, and salt and pepper, to taste, and return to a boil. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and stir. Lower the heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching, until the mixture thickens and the tomatoes have turned an orange red versus the pale blue red they were straight from the can, about 30 minutes. Add the oregano halfway through the cooking.
• Discard the bay leaf. Peel, seed and mash the jalapeno with a spoonful of the sauce and pass at the table so diners can add as much heat s they like to their plates.
• Variation for quick tomato sauce: substitute 2 pounds vine ripened tomatoes for the canned tomatoes. Peel the tomatoes, cut in 1/2 crosswise, and squeeze out the juice and seeds over a sieve suspended over a bowl. Chop the tomatoes. Proceed as directed, omitting the dried tomatoes and using jalapeno, if desired. The recipe may be increased proportionately.

QUICK TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients and let sit for about 20 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
• Cook's Note: Sauce can be made ahead of time and kept covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.

THREE MEAT CALZONE

Steps:

• Prepare the crust: Combine tomato juice, yeast and 3/4 cup of the flour in a large bowl.
• Mix well then add oil, salt, and oregano, then gradually add the remaining 3/4 cup or so of flour.
• Work into a soft dough, then knead for 5 minutes on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic.
• Transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a clean towel in a warm place until doubled in size (about an hour).
• Begin preparing filling while you wait for dough to rise, see below.
• When dough has risen, divide it into 2 even balls and let rest another 15 minutes.
• Pat out dough balls into 2 crusts, each about 1/8 inch thick.
• To prepare filling: Brown the pepperoni a little in an ungreased non-stick skillet; add onion, garlic, pre-cooked and crumbled Italian sausage and ground beef.
• Cook together until ground beef is thoroughly cooked; pour off excess grease, then add oregano and tomato paste; stir to combine thoroughly and cook another 10 minutes.
• Add salt or pepper to taste and set aside to let cool for filling the calzone.
• To assemble the calzone: Spread filling on one half of the prepared crust; sprinkle evenly with mozzarella cheese and top with the other prepared crust and press down firmly along the edges with the tines of a fork to seal.
• Slash top crust with a knife as you would a pie, then bake on a lightly oiled pizza pan in a 450 degree oven 12 to 15 minutes, until lightly browned.
• Alternatively, you could make two separate calzones instead of one large one.

CALZONE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 500 degrees, with a pizza stone placed on lowest shelf position, for at least 30 minutes.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and stir to coat. Add garlic and thyme; cook until mushrooms are softened and fragrant. Add butter and stir until melted and mushrooms are coated; season with salt and pepper.
• Add tomato sauce and stir to combine. Working in batches, add spinach and cook until wilted. Continue cooking until mixture is thickened and most of the liquid has been absorbed, about 3 minutes.
• Sprinkle 2 baking sheets with flour and set aside. Divide dough evenly into 4 pieces. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out each piece of dough into a 1/8-inch-thick circle, about 12 inches in diameter. Set aside.
• Divide spinach and mushroom mixture evenly between rolled out pieces of dough. Top each with one-quarter of the mozzarella and season with salt and pepper. Fold dough in half over filling and crimp as desired to seal. Place on prepared baking sheet to transfer to oven, then transfer to pizza stone. Cook until dough is puffed up and golden and filling is hot, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve immediately.

THREE CHEESE CAPRESE CALZONE

Steps:

• For the glaze:.
• Add the balsamic vinegar and Worcestershire to a small saucepan and simmer over medium heat until thickened and coats the back of a spoon, 3 to 5 minutes.
• For the dough:.
• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. Grease 2 baking sheets with olive oil.
• Prepare the pizza dough according to the recipe. Divide the dough into 4 equal portions.
• On a floured work surface, using a rolling pin, roll each piece of dough into a circle. Place the circles onto the prepared baking sheets.
• For the toppings:.
• Place 1/4 of the ricotta, Parmesan, mozzarella and tomatoes on the bottom half of each of the rounds. Season the filling with salt and pepper, tear some basil leaves over the cheese and tomatoes and drizzle with a spoonful of the balsamic glaze.
• Fold the dough rounds in half to resemble a half-moon shape, covering the filling with the dough. Starting at one end of the half-moon, begin to fold the dough over on itself pressing down as you go. Continue to fold the dough until you reach the end and then tuck the final end under and pinch it shut.
• Brush the calzones with some more olive oil and, with the tip of a knife, make 2 slits in each calzone so the steam can escape.
• Bake the calzones until the crust is golden and crisp, about 15 minutes. (See Cook's Note*).
• Simple Pizza Dough:.
• In a liquid measuring cup, combine the warm water, yeast and sugar. Allow the yeast to dissolve and bloom, about 5 minutes. Once bloomed, add the olive oil.
• Meanwhile, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour and salt. Stream in the water/yeast mixture and as the dough begins to come together, switch to a dough hook attachment. Allow the dough to knead, adding a bit more flour if needed, so that the dough releases from the sides of the bowl, 1 to 3 minutes. You should be able to touch the dough and not have the dough stick to your fingers. Once the dough has kneaded and has pulled away from the sides of the bowl, remove the dough from bowl to a floured work surface and, with floured hands, continue to knead it by hand for 1 to 2 minutes. Then form the dough into a round ball and place it into a large bowl sprayed with nonstick spray. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean dish towel and let the dough rise in a warm area of your kitchen until it doubles in size, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. After the dough has risen it is ready to be cooked however you'd like! (See Cook's Note**).
• Tomato Sauce:.
• Heat a medium saucepan to medium-high. Add in the olive oil. Saute the onions until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add in the tomatoes, garlic, sugar, red pepper flakes and season with salt and pepper. Continue cooking for 10 to 15 minutes on medium low. Season with salt and pepper and fold in the basil.
• Cook's Notes:.
• * Cutting slits in the top of the calzone will prevent the calzone from leaking and let the steam escape. You can fill this calzone with whatever you like.
• **This dough is wet dough, keep bench flour at the ready and make sure to flour your hands when working with the dough. Trust your gut as a chef, if the dough is to wet, add more flour, if it is too stiff, add a little water. Sugar is used to feed the yeast which will help the dough to grow. Bread flour will give you a chewier texture because the flour has more gluten. You don't need to use a thermometer to get the water temperature, it should just feel warm to the touch.