Calzones

I can't decide which I like more - pizza or calzones. They're essentially the same thing: dough, cheese, sauce, and fillings/toppings. Pizza has more has a higher toppings to crust ration, whereas calzones are the opposite. I guess my favorite depends on whether I'm in the mood for carbs or not.


Calzones take about the same amount of time to put together as pizza, which if you use pre-made dough is not much. I find this especially helpful on busy weeknights when I don't have time to prep dough. My local supermarket sells pizza dough near the bakery section, in a little refrigerator along with pizza fixings.


I'm not normally a pepperoni eater, but on this occasion it sounded really good. Combined with mushrooms, it tasted great! Some of my favorite fillings are spinach, tomato, artichoke, meatball, and pineapple, although not all at once. What are some of your favorite fillings/toppings?


Calzones
Original recipe


1 batch pizza dough (or store bought dough)

Filling:
8 oz. mozzarella, cut into small chunks
4 oz pepperoni slices
Small carton button mushrooms, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced

Olive oil
1 c marinara sauce


Place a pizza stone (if available) in oven. Preheat oven to 400˚F.

Follow instructions for pizza dough through punching the dough down. (If you’re using store bought pizza dough, let the dough rise at room temperature until doubled, then punch down.) Divide dough into 4 equal portions. Working with one piece at a time, roll dough out to form a flat circle (or as close to a circle as you can get.) Place ¼ of each of the mozzarella, pepperoni, and mushrooms on one half of the dough. Sprinkle with a bit of garlic. Fold over the other side of dough, covering the filling. Pinch ends together, making sure to completely seal. Drizzle with a little bit of olive oil, spreading it to cover the surface. Place calzones on hot pizza stone and bake until browned on top, about 10-15 minutes. Check a few times to prevent calzone from burning. Let cool for 5 minutes, and serve with a side of marinara sauce.