In the Calzone

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Love this title! In one of my favorite shows, Bob's Burgers, in the opening credits, there is a constant stream of revolving storefronts with wacky pun names. Bob's restaurant is in the middle of these other stores. It's blink and you miss it, and it's become this cult thing to notice the store names. This could totally be the name of a calzone shop on the show. In fact, after I titled a previous post "Smoothie Criminal", I swear a couple weeks LATER, that was the name of a smoothie shop in an episode. Word. Writers, please hire me!!!

This may be one of the all time easiest and funJESScipes yet. It's for a classic calzone. I recently convinced my sons to try it, claiming it's the exact same ingredients as regular pizza, just in a different shape. If only someone begged me to eat pizza 🍕🙄... 

The key here is fresh pizza dough, which you can purchase at your favorite pizza shop, if the people that work there aren't jerks. I was once denied buying dough at this one place. Um, you're a Glatt kosher pizza shop in Teaneck, not the pentagon. Get over yourselves. I took my business elsewhere.

I've made this with both plain and whole wheat dough. Both delish. Many pizza stores sell gluten free dough, so ask for that too if it applies to your dietary needs.

 

ingredients

  • One pizza dough from your pizza shop
  • One egg, beaten
  • Your favorite tomato or marinara sauce
  • One bag shredded pizza cheese
  • Half teaspoon each oregano and garlic powder
  • Optional sautéed vegetables
     

directions

I simply floured a cutting board, and rolled out the dough, generously flouring all sides so it didn't stick to the rolling pin. I rolled it out to maybe an inch max of thickness, into a large, flat oval.

I brushed beaten egg yolk onto the middle going down the length of the dough. Truthfully, I'm not quite sure why but it just felt right, based on working with pie crust in the past. I love using that little brush in the kitchen! It's like painting 🎨. Feels fun.

I layered tomato sauce and shredded pizza cheese down the middle, two layers each, then folded the side flaps (ew) over each other, pinching the sides together.

Wet your fingers with water while pinching. It seals the dough better. Brush remaining egg yolk all over the top. Using a large spatula and your free hand, since the calzone is the length of a baby👶🏻,

Carefully place on a greased baking sheet. Sprinkle some garlic powder and oregano on top, and add some additional shredded cheese. This creates a garlic bread affect ON TOP of the pizza. Double delish. Bake in a 350 oven until the cheese is melted and the dough is golden brown, thirty minutes approx.

I have made these using a variety of sliced, sautéed veggies. Peppers, mushrooms, onions, olives, tomatoes, it all works. Just add your favorites in between the cheese layers before folding. Easy and cheesy! I serve this sliced on a large wooden paddle. My friend KH gets the biggest kick out of this paddle. Wait a few minutes until the cheese sets and cools before slicing, so the contents don't ooze out. This calzone would be so yummy served with my marinated, roasted salmon as a main, a fresh green salad with my lemon vinaigrette on the side, and ginger snaps for dessert, since they're a lighter feeling cookie. See there, you've got an entire fun summer meal. Good times. Kids and adults all really dig this one. It's fun, family style food; everyone takes a slice right off the wood board. That's Amore!!! 🍕🍕🍕🍕