Calzone Craving

My mom was in town this weekend and along with going out to dinner a few times, I knew I had to get a home cooked meal out of her. I tried to recall meals she used to make when I was growing up that I loved and I thought of her Calzones. I mean, these things could have won awards. I probably haven't had one in over 10 years and I have been craving them for the same amount of time. I thought this would be the perfect time for her to teach me her secret recipe. (not so secret anymore!) I had been talking them up to JJ over the past few years so he was equally excited to give them "a go."

We started off by finding a local pizza shop that would sell us unbaked pizza dough. My mom and I ended up buying 3 small (already rolled out) pizza doughs from Waldo Pizza for only $1.50 each. I think it was totally worth it because it saved us the trouble of having to make the dough ourselves. Once we got the pizza dough home, we took a rolling pin and rolled out the dough. We also rubbed both sides of the dough with a thin layer of flour to prevent sticking to the counter top. We prepared a baking pan by coating the bottom with EVOO and preheated the oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, we mixed about 24 oz. of ricotta cheese, 12 oz. of mozzarella, 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese, and salt and pepper to taste. Then we separated the mixture into three parts equally for each calzone and placed each portion in the center of each pizza pie. We then folded over the pocket and used a bit of egg wash and the tip of a fork to seal the edges. There shouldn't be trapped air in the pocket, so do your best to seal the calzone by letting all the air out if you can so the dough doesn't rize too high. Once closed, we made sure to rub down the exterior with EVOO and sprinkled salt and pepper before baking. We baked the calzone at 350 degress for about 20 minutes and then flipped them for 5 minutes. They came out golden brown and crispy. My calzone was so huge that I can honestly say it satisfied my craving for another 10 years. Plan for leftovers. :)

You can get creative with the fillings and make it your own. You could add basil, tomatoes and fresh mozzarella; sausage and peppers; or even a mixed vegetable calzone with Italian cheeses.

Although, I am excited that I learned a new recipe from the Mama Italia kitchen, I am sad because I wish we could cook together more often. I really enjoy learning new things in the kitchen and watching her magic. I know the next time I eat a Calzone, I will think..."this doesn't even come close to my mom's!" and I will be reminded of our wonderful weekend together. Thanks, Mom.

INGREDIENTS
(serving size: three large calzones)
·pizza dough
·ricotta cheese (large container)
·mozzerella cheese
·parmesan cheese
·EVOO
·one egg
·flour
·salt and pepper

Mangia!

Pizza Night In

sauteed cherry tomatoes with fennel and garlic, 5 cheeses, and chopped basil
(kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste)

DIRECTIONS
· slice the cherry tomatoes in half and saute them with three cloves of garlic and 1 tsp. of fennel seeds in a pan over medium heat with olive oil
· layer a think layer of pizza sauce over the dough and sprinkle with Italian cheeses
· add the sauteed tomato mixture
· sprinkle basil over top and bake until crust is golden brown and cheese is melted

5 cheese pizza with turkey pepperoni and chopped black olives
(kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste)

white grapes, caramelized onions, rosemary, and goat cheese
(kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste)

DIRECTIONS
· caramelize onions by putting one whole sliced onion in a pan with butter, 1 tsp. salt, and 1 tsp. sugar under medium heat for about 30-45 minutes (onions have a high sugar content that will come out when cooked long and slow)
· slice grapes in half and place them in a bowl with 1 tbsp. of dried rosemary, 2 tbsp. of olive oil, salt and pepper to taste
· mix well, set aside
· brush dough with olive oil
· sprinkle pizza with caramelized onions, grape mixture and goat cheese
· bake until crust is golden brown and cheese is melted

Making homemade pizzas was so much fun. Prepping the dough and the ingredients took a large part of the night, but it is a lot easier with some company. My favorite out of these three pizzas was by far the tomato, garlic and fennel seed pizza with basil. It was such an explosion of flavor in every bite. See recipe and directions for homemade pizza dough here.

Homemade Pizza Dough

(recipe from the Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer instruction booklet)

INGREDIENTS
· 1 pkg. active dry yeast
· 1 cup warm water (105-115 degrees)
· 1/2 tsp. salt
· 2 tsp. olive oil
· 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
· t tbsp. cornmeal

DIRECTIONS
· dissolve yeast in warm water in warmed mixer bowl
· add salt, olive oil, and 2 1/2 cups flour
· using the dough hook on your mixer, mix at speed 2 for about 1 minute (low speed)
· continuing on speed 2, add remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, and mix until dough clings to hook and cleans the sides of the bowl (about 2 minutes)
· knead on speed 2 for another 2 minutes
· place dough in greased bowl, covering the dough in olive oil
· cover, let rise in warm place, free from draft for about 1 hour or until doubled in bulk
· punch down dough
· divide dough into thirds
· stretch each portion into 10 inch round circles (or rectangles to be baked on cookie sheets for a more rustic approach)
· brush 10 inch pizza pan with oil and sprinkle with cornmeal
· press dough across bottom of pan forming a collar around the edge to hold toppings
· add toppings as desired
· bake at 450 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes
· repeat two more times with different toppings each time

Now, get creative!

12 Days of Christmas: Recipe #6 Goat Cheese Pizza

recipe from: cookie mag

INGREDIENTS
· 2 1/2 cups green or red grapes, halved
· 1 tbsp. finely chopped rosemary
· 3 tbsp. EVOO
· 1 lb. homemade pizza dough (read next post for recipe)
· 8 oz. soft goat cheese
· kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
· preheat oven to 450 degrees
· toss together the grapes and rosemary, and 1 tbsp. of the olive oil, set aside
· divide the dough into thirds and stretch each portion into a 10 inch circle
· place the rounds in the oven until cooked through, about 6 minutes
· distribute the grapes, spoonfuls of the goat cheese, and the remaining olive oil on the pizzas
· heat pizza in the oven until cheese begins to melt, about 5 minutes

This dish is a grown-up take on the toaster oven pizza. I haven't tried it yet but I have been keeping this recipe close at hand with hopes of making it real soon. If you are not a fruit + savory person, you could replace the grapes with grape tomatoes, sliced the same way. That's what is fun about homemade pizzas, you can mix and match the toppings to create you own masterpiece.

Mangia!

Almighty One

Just taking a little break from the 12 Days of Christmas to post about the new addition to the family. I was so surprised to open this on Christmas Day! My cooking collection is now pretty much complete. The Kitchen Aid Stand Up Mixer! How I have lusted over you and now you are mine. Did I mention how hot she looks on my counter?

I have never really considered myself a baker. (That will hopefully change due to my bright and shiny new appliance!) I am more of a cook. It has something to do with the chemistry of baking and how everything has to be exact. When I cook, I add a pinch of this and a dab of that; it's just intuitive. You can pretty much counteract any mistake while cooking. It is different, however, in baking. In 2010, I am going to challenge myself to become a better baker. Maybe I will take some tips from the Barefoot Contessa. She's my baking role model, after all.

Look for new posts in 2010 all about baking; the mishaps, learnings, successes, and the results. Also, I am pretty sure there will be a lot of pizza dough making. I have always wanted to do that.

Happy New Year!