Saturday night, U of F game is on the TV, my son is on a Religious Convention and my daughter had a pizza party with some friends tonight. We ended up ordering pizza instead of my Calzones, but as promised I will give you my recipe. This is a pizza dough recipe, but I use it to make my calzones. I don't know why I waited so long to make my own dough, maybe I had tried a recipe before and it didn't come out right, but this recipe is quick and easy. I found this recipe in a Parents Magazine from 2008. I assume you can switch the all-purpose flour for the Gluten free flour, but I will make the recipe this week and let you know how if turned out.
3 Cups all purpose flour
1 Package active dry yeast
1/2 ts Sugar
1/2 ts Salt
1 Cup Warm water
2 TB Canola or olive oil
Corn Meal to sprinkle on baking tray. This will make your crust crunchy and not stick to the pan.
In a measuring cup mix 1 cup warm water with packet of dry active yeast stir in 1/2 ts Sugar and let sit for at least 10 minutes.
In a mixer with whip combine 2 cups of flour and 1/2 ts salt, 2TB oil and yeast mixture when ready. Whip until combined and add more flour if too sticky. You can change out the whip attachment to the hook attachment or knead until lump free and looks like pizza dough. Place dough in a lightly floured surface or bowl with a damp kitchen towel on top and let rest for about 10 minutes.
FOR CALZONES:
1 Cup Ricotta Cheese
1 Cup Italian cheese mix or Mozzarella
1/2 Cup Parmesan Cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Any red sauce (Marinara, pizza sauce or spaghetti sauce) OR olive oil with Italian herbs like oregano, basil and thyme.
You can add Italian herbs to the cheese if you like
You can add precooked meatballs, any veggies or pizza toppings you like. Just make sure meats are precooked. We like meatballs, spinach and mushrooms ~ who says calzones aren't healthy? (It can be a complete meal with the meat and veggie)
Heat oven to 400 for at least 10 minutes ( you can do this before you put the yeast mixture together).
Take a cookie/baking tray or pizza cooking stone and put a piece of parchment paper on top sprinkle with about 1/2 cup of corn meal and 1/4 cup flour. Divide into 4 lumps. Take one lump at a time and stretch out into a flat surface, try for a circle, but is doesn't have to be perfect.
Put sauce in the middle of the dough, but not too much, spread evenly, but not too close to the edged. We use olive oil with Italian herbs instead of the red sauce. Put enough cheese to cover only half of the dough. Add your "toppings" onto the cheese. Fold the other half over and roll up the edges and pinch them together. You can spray the tops with PAM and sprinkle Italian herbs or Garlic Salt on top. Take a knife and cut 2 slits on the top of the dough. Repeat with the rest of the dough and leave enough room for the dough to expand and rise in the oven. They will double in size!
Bake about 25 minutes the dough will be a nice pizza crust color.
FOR PIZZA:
Preheat oven to 425
You can divide the dough into 4 ~ 6 inch circles and do separate pizzas or do one big one. Put parchment down and sprinkle the corn meal and flour on the pizza tray or baking sheet. Build up the edges slightly, prick the bottom of the dough and bake about 8 minutes. Take the pizza dough out of the oven, spread the pizza sauce on it, add your pizza cheese and toppings onto the crust and bake for about another 8 minutes. If you make 1 large pizza, you may need to cook it a little longer.
Enjoy! It is always fun to get the kids involved in making their meals! And have fun with it, it doesn't have to be perfect, it is the time you spend with them in the kitchen that counts!
Take care, live, love and eat well!,
Alyssa
