A few pointers: make sure to use plenty of corn meal on the pizza peel so the calzone doesn't stick and will slide onto the pizza stone easily. For an even crispier, more flavorful crust, brush the top with garlic-infused olive oil.
Pizza Dough
¾ cup warm water
1 envelope or 1 tsp active dry yeast
1 T. sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 t. salt
Add the warm water to stand mixer bowl and add the yeast and
sugar. Stir with the dough hook to dissolve the yeast into the water. Once
dissolved, add the flour and salt and mix with the dough hook until the dough
comes away from the sides of the mixing bowl and forms a ball on the dough
hook. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead a few times. Put the
dough into a greased bowl and cover with saran wrap or a damp towel. Allow to
double in size, then punch down and place in the refrigerator in an air-tight
container.
Tomato Sauce
1 T olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
28 ounce can tomato puree
1 t dried basil
1 t dried marjoram
Salt and pepper to taste
1 t sugar, if too acidic tasting
Place all ingredients in a sauce pan; cover and bring to a
boil. Uncover, lower heat, and simmer 30 minutes.
Spinach/Ricotta filling
2 T olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 bag frozen spinach, thawed, and as much liquid as possible
squeezed out
Salt & pepper to taste
16 oz container ricotta cheese
Heat olive oil in large sautee pan. Add onion and garlic and
cook until onion starts to soften. Add spinach and sautee until warmed through
and fragrant. Set aside and allow to cool; mix with ricotta and use for filling
in calzones or manicotti.
Strawberry Cheesecake Calzone filling
½ pint strawberries, hulled and cut up
1 8-oz package cream cheese
2-3 T powdered sugar
1 t. vanilla
Mix all ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer. Use as
filling for a calzone; brush the top with a little oil or melted butter, and
dust with cinnamon and sugar before baking as usual.
