A calzone is a savory Italian turnover. It traditionally consists of a cheesy filling in a leavened dough and is served with marinara sauce on the side. The calzone originated in Naples in the 18th century.
The best results come when the filling is not too moist because it can make the dough soggy. Like with a stir-fry, it is also better to have a filling where the ingredients are broken down into bite-size pieces, so the filling is easy to eat.
There is nothing better this time of year than fresh corn and tomatoes. This easy corn, tomato & bacon calzone is the perfect way to celebrate fresh summer produce! Don’t overload the filling with ingredients; make your point with a mixture of a few simple flavors then load it with cheese!
Eating vegetables during their seasons really gives you the best flavors.
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Ingredients
Calzone Dough
- 1 cup lukewarm water
- 2 Tbsp honey
- 1 Tbsp active dry yeast
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1 egg + 1 Tbsp water for egg wash
Filling
- 4 slices bacon, chopped
- 1 shallot, minced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 ears corn, husked & kernels cut from cobs
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 4 large mushrooms, sliced & sauteed
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- salt & pepper to taste
- 125 gm ricotta cheese
- 150 gm (about 1 1/2 cups) monterey jack cheese, grated
- Cornmeal for sprinkling, optional
- Marinara sauce, for serving
Ingredients
Calzone Dough
Filling
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Instructions
Dough
- In a large bowl, place lukewarm water, honey & yeast; allow to stand for a few minutes until frothy. In another bowl, flour & salt.
- When yeast is ready, add the 2 Tbsp of oil. Add flour, mixing with a fork until a shaggy dough forms. Turn onto a work surface & knead dough for about 5-8 minutes, until smooth & elastic. Place dough ball in a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap & let rise in a warm place until doubled in size while you prepare filling.
Filling
- In a large skillet, cook the bacon until crispy. Remove the bacon from the pan & set aside to drain on a plate lined with paper towels.
- To the bacon drippings, add the mushrooms, shallot & garlic. Sauté over medium heat for a few minutes then add the corn, red pepper flakes & a pinch of salt & pepper.
- Cook for a few minutes then add the halved cherry tomatoes & basil. Cook, stirring frequently, for a couple minutes. You want the tomatoes to just warm through, not to completely break down. Stir in the crisped bacon & remove the pan from the heat so the mixture can cool to room temperature.
Assembly/Baking
- On a lightly greased work surface, divide the risen dough into 8 even balls. Roll each ball into an OVAL shape, about 7 x 6-inch size. Divide filling into 8 portions.
- On each oval, spoon a couple tablespoons of the ricotta in a straight line on the middle of the dough. Next, spoon a couple tablespoons of the corn-tomato filling on top of the ricotta. Finally, add about 2-3 tablespoons of grated Monterey Jack cheese.
- Keep one side free & cut the other side of the dough into thin strips using a knife. Fold the uncut side over the filling first, then continue rolling over the cut side.
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper & place the ‘calzones’ on it, curving them into a C shape. (Place the side with the ‘strips’ curving to the outside). Brush calzones lightly with egg wash, sprinkle with cornmeal if you wish. Cover with plastic wrap & allow to rise for about 20 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Bake for 25 minutes or until the dough is golden and crisp and the filling is gooey. Allow to cool slightly before serving with warmed marinara sauce.
