Calzones are fun to make, but the recipe can look daunting. It’s easier to do if you break it down into steps. Consider making the dough, cutting it into eight equal sections, wrapping each dough ball tightly with plastic wrap and freezing until you are ready to finish the calzones. On calzone baking day, take the dough balls out of the freezer in the early part of the day and let them sit until they are ready to be rolled out. This recipe makes 8 decent-sized calzones.
Dough
- 5 cups unbleached all-purpose white flour
- 1 T kosher salt
- 1 tsp instant yeast
- 2 T olive oil
- 1 T sugar
- 2 cups warm water
In the bowl of a mixer fitted with a dough hook, place the flour, salt, yeast, and sugar. Mix.
Add the water. Mix on low speed until the flour forms a ball. Let the dough rest for about 5 minutes, then mix again. The dough should clear the sides of the bowl. If the dough is too wet, add a little flour and mix again.
Turn the dough onto a lightly-floured surface and divide into 8 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a ball. Rub some olive oil over the top, cover with a light cloth, and proceed to the next step.
Mushroom/Onion Mixture
- 1 pound cremini mushrooms, quartered
- ½ white onion, diced finely
- ¼ cup Italian parsley, chopped finely
- Splash of balsamic vinegar
- 1 T olive oil
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
In a skillet big enough not to crowd the mushrooms, heat the olive oil. Add the mushrooms. Turn the heat to medium-high and sear, tossing frequently, until all the juices are released and the pan is somewhat dry. Add the splash of balsamic vinegar. Toss a bit to glaze the seared mushrooms. Turn off the heat. Add the onions, parsley, salt and pepper, toss and set aside.
Mozzarella
about 16 ounces, shredded.
Topping
Have ready: black pepper, kosher salt, granulated garlic, Romano or Parmesan Cheese, a brush for the olive oil, and a pair of scissors.
Assemble and Bake
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Prepare a baking sheet with a sheet of parchment. Lightly oil the parchment.
Have about a cup of flour ready for rolling out the dough.
Take out one of the prepared dough balls and on a lightly floured surface, roll it out to about 7 inches.
On ½ of the dough disc, place about ½ cup of the mozzarella cheese. Top this with ½ cup of the mushroom onion mixture. Fold the other half of the disc over the side with the cheese and mushrooms. Press the sides down. Then, using the tines of a fork, press the sides together to form a tight seal. (I like to go around the outer edge and fold over the dough ends to make a tighter bond.) Gently lift the calzone and place on the prepared sheet.
Do the same with the other dough balls, spacing them about an inch apart.
When all the calzones are made, brush each with some olive oil. Then sprinkle on some pepper, the salt, and last the Romano cheese. With scissors, place a snip in the middle of each calzone.
Bake for about 20 minutes, until golden. Enjoy!
