Calzone

Similar to Stromboli:

The real difference between stromboli and calzone is that the former is rolled and the latter is folded. There is no difference in the ingredients. Both usually contain cheese (usually mozzarella), meat, and/or vegetables. I suggest varying the ingredients each time you cook them. But stromboli usually contains a tomato sauce inside and calzone has sauce on the side for dipping.

Ingredients (serves 5):

• 2 tablespoons – extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves – garlic, minced
• 1 – large onion, chopped
• 1 – green pepper, chopped
• 1 pound – button mushrooms, sliced
• 4 – mild Italian sausage, casing removed
• 1 ½ pounds – mozzarella cheese, grated

Preparation:

Prepare the calzone dough the same way you prepare the stomboli dough. Also prepare the tomato sauce the same way the stomboli tomato sauce is prepared.

Place the oil into a pan and heat over medium and add the garlic. Cook for one minute and then add the onion, green pepper, and mushrooms.

Garlic, onion, green pepper and mushrooms.

Sauté until the mushrooms have lost their water and the mixture starts to brown. Cook the sausage in a separate pan until it begins to brown, breaking up the meat into bits.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Pinch the dough apart into 5 separate but equal dough balls. Roll each ball flat on a lightly floured surface (about 9-inchs in diameter – see photo).

Dough

Cover each piece of dough with a layer of mozzarella cheese, followed by the sausage and vegetables (evenly distribute).

First layer of mozzarella with sausage and vegetables.

Cover again with the rest of the mozzarella cheese and fold each dough sheet over sealing the ends (see photo).

Calzone before cooking

Using a spatula, transfer the calzones to two lightly oiled baking sheets. Place both pans in the oven, one on the lower rack and the other on the upper rack. Cook for 15 minutes and then reverse the baking sheets and cook for an additional 15 minutes. Serve with the tomato sauce over the top or on the side for dipping. Enjoy!

Two calzones cooked.

Jack Botticelli