There’s something very appealing about a pizza you can pick up and eat like a cornish pasty. I also LOVE calzones because for me, the crust is the best part of the pizza. I don’t understand those crazy people who actually leave their pizza crusts – are they insane?!
Making pizza or calzone is totally do-able for dinner, unless you’re completely starving and need to eat right now. The whole process takes just over an hour, so get started when you get in from work and its a meal you can easily enjoy on a weekday. Plus, when you pack your calzone full of veggies and limit the mozzerella and portion size (its easy for them to come out massive somehow!), they’re pretty healthy too!
Here’s what you’ll need – (makes two greedy servings or three normal ones!)
- 3 cups plain flour
- 2 (7g) sachets dried instant yeast
- 1tbsp sugar
- 4tbsp olive oil
- Enough hand hot water to form a dough
First, combine your flower, yeast, and sugar and add water until the ingredients start to come together into a messy dough. It’s super easy I promise – just add more water if the dough is too dry to come together in your hands, or more flour if its too wet!
Knead your dough on a flour covered chopping board, adding more flour as you need it to stop the dough sticking to your hands. After around 5 minutes, the dough should be soft and springy. Transfer into a large oiled bowl, cover with clingfilm and leave in a warm place to rise for 45 minutes.
After 35 minutes, preheat your oven to 190C/350F/gas mark 7 and punch down your calzone dough (very satisfying). Separate your dough into two halves and pop each one onto an oiled baking tray. I use a glass tumbler coated in flour to roll my dough into a roughly circular shape, or you could also use a mini rolling pin if you have one!
Finally, sort out your fillings! I used tomato sauce (I like to use a store bought pasta sauce, or you could use passata), goats cheese AND mozzerella (one large ball should be enough for two) basil, red onion, cherry tomato and mushroom. Spread your filling along one half of your round dough, and then pull the other half of dough over, crimping it roughly along the edges. Slash some holes in the top for the steam to escape, and cook for around 15-20 minutes. Pizza/calzones need a hot oven, but be sure to check on them frequently and swap their oven position to be sure they are cooking and browning at the same rate.
Enjoy! Imagine all of the fun filling combo’s you could think up!
x Kerry
Kat says
January 9, 2013 at 10:59 pmI love this idea! Definitely going to make these 🙂
kerrycooks says
January 10, 2013 at 8:56 amThanks Kat!
makedospend says
January 7, 2013 at 6:11 pmI also love the pizza crust! My boyfriend always leaves it til last, in case he’s too full to eat the filling, and sometimes he leaves it completely. I never understand it.
Have never tried a calzone – they always looks so massive I find it a bit intimidating in restaurants. Perhaps I’ll try this recipe and just make it a little smaller!
B x
kerrycooks says
January 8, 2013 at 9:05 amI do not understand it at all. Who are these people?!
Calzones is restaurants are usually massive, especially in Zizzi – they’re like a cornish pasty on steroids. However if you’re v hungry they are amazing! Mine was actually fairly small, just a bit bigger than a normal pasty size, and small enough to fit on a regular plate!
Susannah Bianchi says
January 7, 2013 at 3:35 pmYum..calzones. My Italian is wide awake thanks to you. My grandfather was a retired baker who loved to cook. It was like having a built in bistro growing up. Your recipes Kerry just get better and better 🙂
kerrycooks says
January 7, 2013 at 4:08 pmThanks Susannah! How you turned out such a thin girl with a built in bistro I’ll never know!
Jorie says
January 7, 2013 at 2:00 pmHoly cow, Kerry, this looks amazing! I absolutely love calzones and I couldn’t agree with you more on the crust part — one of the best perks of pizza, by far.
kerrycooks says
January 7, 2013 at 2:32 pmHee, glad you agree!!
Emmyw @ Kitchen Goddess (in training!) says
January 7, 2013 at 11:15 amOMG that looks AMAZING! So not part of my healthy eating resolution though 😛 for me the gooey cheese and crispy crust is probably the best part of a pizza 🙁 I’d need a whole ball of mozarella to myself haha.
May attempt these for my birthday in a couple of weeks though 🙂 you’re allowed a naughty day for your birthday right? x
kerrycooks says
January 7, 2013 at 11:56 amThanks! I find half a one is enough for me even on a massive pizza, but I see what you mean! And I do believe its THE LAW to eat pizza and cake on your birthday
Sue says
January 7, 2013 at 8:42 amThat looks good. Also, I have a dough blade on my new processor :>
kerrycooks says
January 7, 2013 at 9:04 amYay!