Fold the pizza!

A calzone is an Italian filled oven bread and is shaped as a folded pizza. Half-moon shaped, a calzone is made of salted bread dough and is stuffed with anything from salami or ham, mozzarella, ricotta and Parmesan cheese, and even mixed vegetables. Regional variations include other ingredients that are normally associated with pizza toppings. It is different from a puff mainly in the way the exterior covering is made.

calzone

ingredients

• 15 gm package active dry yeast
• 1 cup warm water
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp white sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 350 gm all-purpose flour, divided
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 60 gm ricotta cheese
• 180 gm shredded Cheddar cheese
• 100 gm diced pepperoni or minced lamb
• 100 gm sliced fresh mushrooms
• 1 tbsp dried basil leaves
• 1 egg, beaten

Method
In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Add the oil, sugar and salt; mix in 1 cup of the flour until smooth. Gradually stir in the rest of the flour, until dough is smooth and workable. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface for about 5 minutes, or until it is elastic. Lay dough in a bowl containing 1 tsp olive oil, then flip the dough, cover and let it rise for 40 minutes, or until almost doubled.

For the filling
While the dough is rising, combine the ricotta cheese, cheddar cheese, pepperoni/lamb, mushrooms and basil leaves in a large bowl. Mix well, cover the bowl and refrigerate to chill.

Preheat oven to 1900C.

When dough is ready, punch it down and separate it into 2 equal parts. Roll parts out into thin circles on a lightly floured surface.

Fill each circle with ½ of the cheese/meat filling and fold over, securing edges by folding in and pressing with a fork. Brush the top of each calzone with egg and place on a lightly greased cookie sheet.

Bake at 1900C for 30 minutes. Serve hot.