I asked myself a question, "We make pizza at home, so why not Calzone?" To me, it sounded logical enough, but I was afraid of ending up with soggy, half baked dough. I have heard of recipe with braided dough so that air circulates better within the dough, thus better baked Calzone. So I wanted to test them. Traditional half moon calzone vs. braided calzone!
For the dough, I usually make with bread machine. I made the filling the day before so that it thickens and easier to handle.
The conclusion was, both methods worked fine. Braided dough looks more fun, but didn't make significant difference when it comes to "baking through the dough." So, traditional half moon was easier to make, and maybe a little less leak of filling.
If you use the oven for baking baking pizza/calzone, bake with high temperature and short duration. I used gas grill (BBQed.) If possible use the "stone plate" underneath. It gives crispy, crunchy dough!
Ingredients (for the filling)
600 g Bacon, cooked ham, whatever you have in your fridge - chop them into chunks
250 g mushroom - chop into small thin slices
1 onion - finely chopped
1 clove garlic - pressed
1 tbs butter for frying onion
1 handful of fresh herb (I had basil, so I used them.)
1 tbs oregano (if you have fresh one, it's better!)
1 tbs pepper
500 g canned tomatoes
For baking:
Pizza dough - enough to make 4 small pizza.
2 mozzarella cheese - cube them
400 g grated yellow cheese
Directions:
1) In a frying pan, heat up butter, and fry garlic. When the aroma starts to fill the kitchen, add onion, lower the heat, and fry until onion and tender and transperant.
2) Move the onion mixture into a deep pot.
3) Using the same frying pan, fry bacon until crispy.
4) Move the bacon into the same deep pot where onions are.
Tips: Do not throw away the bacon fat!
5) Using the same pan (with bacon fat,) fry mushroom. They will absorb all the bacon fat. When the start giving out juice, move them into the deep pot, together with onion and bacon.
6) Add cooked ham.
7) Add canned tomato, basil, oregano, and pepper.
8) Cook them until almost all the juices are gone.
9) Cool preferably until next day (so that it thickens.)
10) Place the pizza dough onto working surface
11) Roll out the dough, down to ca 5 mm thickness.
Here is for the traditional Calzone
12) Place the filling in the centre of one side (right or left - whichever you prefer.)
13) Place mozzarella and yellow cheese on the top.
14) Fold the other half over the filling to make a half moon shape.
15) Roll up and seal the edges with finger.
Here is for the experimental Calzone
16) Place the filling on the centre of the dough.
17) Slice the edges (please see presentation above.)
18) Place mozzarella and yellow cheese on the top of filling.
19) Knit the dough like making braid (please see presentation above.)
20) Bake at 250 C degrees until golden brown and dough is crispy.