Full Gastronomic Tilt

This began as me wanting to make the mother of all pizzas - roasted red peppers, swiss chard and smoked goat cheese. I got as far as making the pizza dough before my plans shifted, as they too often do. The dough went into the freezer and I promptly forgot about it.

During this past weekend’s clean out of the pantry/fridge/freezer, I found two links of andouille sausage and a bag of frozen spinach next to the dough. Ooh. Calzones instantly sprang to mind and I pulled out the dough to defrost.

Oh yum. Little make-ahead pockets of deliciousness. (see also: pierogi, Bryant Terry’s Jamaican Veggie Patties)
I have a thing for food that comes in its own package. Empanadas, calzones, burritos. Love them all. And making them is serious fun.

Calzones are simple. Dough + filling + 450 degree oven for 25 minutes. You can pull dinner together in less than an hour, especially if you have some pizza dough handy.

Deb’s pizza dough is my go-to recipe. It’s slightly sweet, crunchy, flavorful. If you love crust like I do, make 1.5 times the recipe.

For the calzone filling, I mixed together:

- the sausage, sliced into 1/4 inch half moons
- the cooked, drained spinach, an egg and a can of diced tomatoes, also drained
- one Tablespoon each thyme and oregano, plus one teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper
- approximately one cup each part-skim ricotta and mozzarella

Ever wondered what the difference between a stromboli and a calzone is?

1. Calzones are shaped like a triangle or half-moon. Strombolis are rolled or shaped into a rectangle.
2. Calzones have ricotta AND mozzarella. Strombolis are mozzarella only.

Now you know. (Source here.)
Pepperoni bread is another story.

Originally I called these spinach-ricotta calzones with sausage, but if all calzones have ricotta, that’s kind of redundant, right?

I traced a soup bowl on some parchment paper and made six dough balls. Roll them out (aside: I use a paper towel holder - can you believe I don’t own a rolling pin?), stuff, wet the edges and seal, press with a fork and (this is important!) cut three slits vertically through the calzone to let air escape. Brush the top of the calzone with olive oil or beaten egg and bake for 25 minutes (or a little longer if you like super crunchy dough) at 450 degrees.

Now, the most important part - the tomato dipping sauce! Again, Deb is a terrific jumping off point. Muir Glen (no salt added) tomato sauce is a good base. Add a few minced garlic cloves, red pepper flakes, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon sugar. Some white wine if you have it. Simmer over low heat for at least 30 minutes, to allow the flavors to develop and the sauce to thicken.

Simple, easy, good. Plus, they freeze well. They do NOT reheat well in the microwave. Use an oven or toaster oven. Chewy crust is a textural nightmare.