Calzones - Is there anything better?



Isn't it lovely?
Calzones - What could be better?



Calzones are kind of like a stuffed pizza like dough pocket.   Delicious for lunch or dinner, this Italian delight is found in pizza shops around the world.  Most pizza shops have the cheese calzones, without any kind of meat.   You can make yours that way, if you wish, or add meat, such as prosciutto, ham, sausages, chicken or meatballs!  

You can even opt to make a vegetarian version, using sautéed spinach, kale or swiss chard.  You can change it up, based on left overs from previous meals.

Here, I will present a prosciutto and cheese calzone.   This is one of my favorite recipes.   I use part skim cheeses here, so that it is not too entirely sinful.  You can use whole milk cheeses, but I don’t think you will notice the difference making this lower fat version….

Ingredients:

·         1 lb Ricotta cheese, part skim

·         8 oz shredded mozzarella, part skim

·         ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

·         ½ lb thin sliced Italian prosciutto or ham

·         ½ tsp salt

·         Pizza Dough ( See my Pizza Dough Recipe )

·         Egg whites, beaten

Directions:

Place the Ricotta in a strainer, lined with cheese cloth.  Place over a bowl and allow it to drain over night in your refrigerator.  You need to remove as much moisture from the cheese as possible.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Mix the mozzarella, ricotta, parmesan and salt in a bowl.

Separate pizza dough into small balls, and flatten to make 8 inch circles, a little thicker than an 1/8 inch.

Spoon the cheese filling into half of the circle and be sure to leave about a half inch border.

Place a few slices of the prosciutto on top of the cheese.

Brush the borders of the dough with water and fold over the dough to form the calzone.  Press the edges firmly to seal the dough pocket.  You don’t want it to burst open, so take care to do this part correctly.

Place on top of oiled pan.  Brush with egg whites.  Cut a small vent hole in the top of the calzone.  Let sit for about 15 minutes.  The dough will rise a little and the calzones will look a little puffy.

Bake for about 20-30 minutes, or until golden brown.

Enjoy this wonderful Italian recipe by itself, or serve with a side of tomato sauce.