The Hungry Apple

Don’t take it! Make it!

We are pizza lovers at our house but some times we like to mix it up. Most of the pizzas we make don’t have a red sauce they have things like BBQ Sauce or Buffalo Sauce or no sauce at all.  I don’t put marinara inside the calzone but rather on the side for dipping.

You could choose any of your favorite pizza toppings to stuff inside.

We chose fresh grated mozzarella, sauteed mushrooms and salami.

Use a homemade pizza dough or get your favorite dough from the grocery.

The extra dough around the edges that you roll up and pinch is yummy too.

Back in college we ordered calzones all the time from a place called Imans. The calzones were greasy and packed full of your choice of toppings and were sure to cure any self inflicted ailments as a result of the night before.

While I am not sure these calzones have any magical powers they were very good. They weren’t at all greasy either like the old cure all from back in the day. I only ate half of mine and saved the rest for lunch the next day.

I made my own marinara but you could certainly buy store bought if that makes it easier for you.

(If possible, place a cooling rack (or a small rack from an appliance like a toaster oven) on top of an cookie sheet for the last 5 minutes of baking. This helps the heat to get under the calzone so that if you have any excess water from veggies or cheese, your calzone won’t be soggy. )

The outside turned out salty and crispy.

While the indside was warm and melty.

Instead of grabbing one from your local takeout make this instead!

MAKE YOUR OWN CALZONE

makes 2 large calzones

to make calzones: 

Ingredients: 

1 pound pizza dough (tip: set pizza dough out 1-2 hours before using for best results)

6 slices genoa salami

4 ounces fresh mushrooms

4 ounces grated fresh mozzerlla

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan

6 twists freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

Instructions and directions: 

Heat oven to 375.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, heat olive oil and saute mushrooms until most of their water has evaporated. About 7 minutes. Set aside.

Roll up salami slices together and slice 4 sections to make ribbons.

Onto a lightly floured surface, cut pizza dough in half and roll out into two large circles. Layer 1/4 of cheese on one end of each circle of dough. Next, layer salami on top of cheese, then 1/2 of sauteed mushrooms on top of each. Top mushrooms with remaining cheese. Then sprinkle half of oregano onto each. (This part seems confusing so here is the picture again 🙂 )

Fold the dough in half, covering the toppings to make a semi circle. Crimp the dough to seal it off and keep all the toppings tucked safely inside.

Bake for 15 minutes on a parchment lined baking sheet.

While calzones are baking, make marinara.

to make marinara: 

Ingredients: 

1-16 ounce can tomato sauce

2 garlic cloves, minced or 2 teaspoons garlic powder

2 teaspoons dried oregano

2 teaspoons dried parsley

1 teaspoon sea salt

10 grinds fresh pepper or 1 tsp pepper

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/4 teaspoon celery salt

Instructions and directions: 

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine all ingredients. Let simmer 10-15 minutes.

Remove calzones from oven and place calzones on a cooling rack on top of the baking sheet. Sprinkle calzones with parmesan and a few twists each of pepper. Bake for 5 additional minutes. Broil for one minute if desired to get crunchy on top.

Serve with a side of marinara.