Healthy Homemade Calzones

Name: Any in-season vegetables work well in a calzone
Prep time: 1 h 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 1 h 45 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 cup warm water; 1 package active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons yeast); 1 tablespoon honey or sugar; 1 1/2 teaspoon salt; 2 1/2 to 3 cups flour; olive oil; 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1/2 onion, minced; 1 to 2 cups dark greens (spinach, dandelion, kale, swiss chard all work well; do a taste test as you cook as some may be a bit bitter and require a pinch of sugar); 2 to 4 cloves garlic, minced; salt and pepper, to taste; 1/2 teaspoon basil; 1 pound ricotta or cottage cheese; 2 cup mozzarella cheese; 1/4 cup parmesan cheese; pizza sauce, for dipping

Leslie Werner — Daily Press|June 7, 2021 8:35 pm EST

4.5 (2 ratings)

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A calzone is a big old pocket filled with everything you like in a pizza. They're really easy to make and they're a great place to 'hide' veggies from your family. Any in-season vegetables work well in a calzone—experiment and enjoy!This recipe was originally published in the Chicago Tribune.

Prep Time

1.33

hours

Cook Time

25

minutes

Servings

6

Healthy Homemade Calzones recipe - The Daily Meal

Total time: 1 hour, 45 minutes

Ingredients

1 cup warm water
1 package active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons yeast)
1 tablespoon honey or sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 to 3 cups flour
olive oil
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 onion, minced
1 to 2 cups dark greens (spinach, dandelion, kale, swiss chard all work well; do a taste test as you cook as some may be a bit bitter and require a pinch of sugar)
2 to 4 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 teaspoon basil
1 pound ricotta or cottage cheese
2 cup mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
pizza sauce, for dipping

Directions

Step 1: If you have a breadmaker, see notes.
Step 2: If you are kneading by hand, place 1 cup warm water in a large bowl. Sprinkle 1 package active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons) and 1 tablespoon honey or sugar in the bowl to dissolve.
Step 3: Use a whisk to stir in 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 2 1/2 to 3 cups flour. When it gets too thick to whisk, mix with a floured hand. This will take about 5 minutes.
Step 4: Oil the surface of the dough with olive oil. Place a warm, damp cloth over the bowl and set aside is a warm spot. Allow the dough to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Step 1: While the dough is rising, saute the vegetables. In a large pan, heat 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil. Sautee 1/2 minced onion, 1 to 2 cups dark greens and 2 to 4 minced garlic cloves. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Step 2: In a large bowl, toss cooked vegetables with 1/2 teaspoon basil, 1 pound ricotta or cottage cheese, 2 cups mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Add salt and black pepper to taste. Remember that the cheeses and some filling choices may already add enough of a salty flavor.
Step 3: Preheat the oven to 425 F. Oil a baking tray.
Step 4: Punch down the dough and divide into 6 sections. Roll each section out, one at a time, on a floured board, forming circles.
Step 5: Place about 1/2 cup of filling in the center of each circle of dough, leaving about a 1/2-inch border.
Step 6: Moisten the edges of the dough with water and fold the dough over, crimping the edges with fingers or a fork. Make small holes in the top of the pastry to allow steam to escape during baking.
Step 7: Arrange the calzones on the oiled baking tray. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until lightly browned. To create a crispier crust, you can brush oil or melted butter on the top crust during the last 5 minutes of baking. Serve hot with pizza sauce for dipping.