Sausage, Onion and pepper Calzones (STromboli)

Golden Calzones with Italian Sausage, Onion and Bell Pepper Filling…MMMM

Calzones - Stromboli - Panzerotti - Pizza Pockets? What’s in a name? Calzone (from Naples) by any other name would taste as Italian! Purists will tell you that the calzone is a circular dough folded over the cheese and other add-ins, often including ricotta cheese, crimped closed and baked. Stromboli (from Pniladelphia) uses the same ingredients but is formed from a rectangle of dough which is folded over the ingredients, into a long roll shape and the panzerotti more like calzone but is deep fried. And pizza pockets - go to the frozen section of foods in your grocery store. Having very similar ingredients, I suggest choosing the term that you like saying the best and use that one!

For a persnickety son, as far as acceptable items to eat, pizza was one of the 5 he considered edible - which included, Oscar Myer Beef Hot Dogs (raw), Doritos, Top Ramen (raw), pasta with butter and sprinkle cheese (parmesan)…. Oh, and the pizza, just sauce and cheese allowed on the crust. No lumps, mysterious bumps or bits of green things.

One result of his limited appetite was a bout of near starvation on a two week drive from Rotterdam to Amman, Jordan: an adventure for the family when moving to Jordan. Or so we thought. But for our son, the hot dogs tasted weird, there were lumps on the pizza and the cheese on the pasta was the wrong shape and just awful!

But he survived, in fact survived to the point that his food repertoire has expanded to include almost any and all things digestible, which of course includes Calzone. He discovered in his teenage years that calzone was close enough to pizza to be considered with various lumps and bumps and all.

The happy ending of the story is that whenever I have left over bread dough or pizza filing ingredients, I fashion them into calzones, bake and freeze them to give to my son on his weekend visits. And now I can add any lumps and bumps I have on hand! (Calzones freeze well. Just thaw and crisp them up a bit in a hot oven before eating.)

Sausage, Onion and pepper calzones

1 cup lukewarm water

1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast (1 tab.)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 1/2 - 3 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 pound ground sweet Italian sausage or ground beef, browned and drained or chopped/sliced pepperoni or ham (or a combo of all)

1/2 small onion, slivered

1/2 red and 1/2 green bell peppers, thinly sliced

1 cup pizza sauce or homemade pizza sauce (below)

2 cups shredded full-fat mozzarella cheese or provolone cheese

3/4 cups grated parmesan cheese

-Mix 1/2 cup lukewarm water and yeast together in a bowl. Let stand until yeast softens and begins to form a creamy foam, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining 1/2 cup water, olive oil, sugar and salt along with 1 cup flour and mix well by hand or in electric mixer. Add remaining flour 1 cup at a time, until dough is well combined and mixture pulls away from the sides of the mixer or is not sticky to the touch.

-Knead dough in mixer with dough hook for about 5 minutes on low speed. Or if making by hand, turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until dough is soft, smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Shape dough into a ball and cover with a dishtowel and let sit for 15 minutes.

-Divide dough into 4 equal pieces and shape each into a ball and again, cover and let rest for 15 minutes.

-Flatten a dough ball, one at a time with the heel of your hand and then roll out on a lightly floured surface to create a flat circle about 10 inches in diameter. Set aside as you prepare the other circles.

-Spread about 2 tablespoons of the pizza sauce over the dough round then sprinkle meat, vegetables and cheese on half of the round, leaving a border of at least 1/2 inch from the outer edge.

-Fold the top half of dough over bottom half of dough and push the edges together firmly. Crimp the edges of dough with your thumb and forefinger and place on well greased baking sheet dusted with cornmeal if desired (for a crunchy bottom). With a sharp knife, make 3 or 4 slash marks on the top side of each calzone.

-Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until browned. Remove from oven and brush each calzone with olive oil and then sprinkle with garlic powder and Italian herbs if desired. Makes 4 Calzones.

FOR PIZZA SAUCE:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

1 15 oz. can crushed or diced tomatoes

1/4 cup tomato paste

2 tablespoons water

1 teaspoon sugar

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon dried basil and oregano

Freshly cracked black pepper to taste

1 pinch crushed red pepper (optional)

-Heat the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat and add garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, water, sugar, salt, basil, oregano, pepper and red pepper flakes (if used). Stir to combine.

-Cover the pot and allow sauce to simmer, then reduce the heat to low, and let simmer for 15 minutes more, stirring from time to time and adding a bit of water to keep from scorching, if needed.

Form dough into 4 balls, then roll out into 10 inch circles.

Spread sauce over half of dough and add other ingredients.

Fold in half and firmly crimp edges together. Slash tops before baking.

Cool calzones until golden and puffy.

Pizza in a pocket - no muss with just a bit of fuss!

PERSNICKETY NOTES:

**Use any pizza sauces and toppings you prefer, including diced, cooked chicken with alfredo sauce, mushrooms, roasted garlic, spinach, olives, bacon bits - use your imagination with your taste buds as your guide!

**I often use dough left over from bread or rolls I’ve made to make calzones, and though not the traditional texture and taste of a calzone crust, they also create a delicious version.

**Wrap well and freeze cooled Calzones for up to a month in the freeze. Thaw and place in a 375 degree oven for 8 - 10 minutes to crisp up before serving.