Blackhawk Tips
The recipe starts out with "Make Pizza Dough" and "Make marinara sauce." Both of these can be made in bulk and frozen for use throughout the term. Having a pint of sauce in the freezer makes for a really fast spaghetti dinner or just a great dip for some bread. Dough frozen in balls are easy to pull out of the freezer in the morning, let them thaw and rise while you're at class and then for an easy dinner that night. Learn to cook a lot of things you like that freeze well and you'll eat better, save money and save time.
These make a great lunch and are certainly better tasting and less expensive than pizza pockets! You can even pack a little red sauce for dipping!
Bake and then freeze them individually, wrapped in foil for a quick lunch.
Calzones
Homemade pizza pockets! Heat oven to 375 degrees
Make Pizza dough the night before.
Make Marinara Sauce
Remove cold dough and divide into 12 balls.
Allow the balls of dough to warm up at room temp for 1 hour.
Sauté in a pan over medium heat:
- 3 Tbs. olive oil
- 3 diced red peppers
- 2 diced green peppers
- 2 diced onions
Sauté until soft, then turn off the heat.
Pour 2 Tbs. of olive oil on a clean smooth surface.
Place the dough on the oiled surface and gently flatten each dough ball into an 8-inch round.
Try picking up the disk and allowing gravity to stretch it.
If working with dough is a new skill, use a rolling pin rather than over working it with your hands. Be very careful NOT to tear the dough.
Wipe the whole 8-inch disk of dough with a small amount of olive oil
On 1/2 of the calzone place:
- 3 Tbs. red sauce (Marinara) and spread out leaving a 1/2 inch edge without red sauce. You'll need that border area in order to stick it together.
- 1 Tbs. fresh pesto , spread
- 1 large spoonful of the sautéed peppers and onions - sprinkled evenly over dough
- 1 large spoonful of Ricotta Cheese - spread chunks evenly
- You can put many items in a Calzone but be careful to not overfill or it will burst. Too much cheese will create a lavaflow. Show some restraint and it will be much more pleasant to eat...and a lot less messy.
(Only fill 1/2 of the circle of dough because you’re going to fold the other 1/2 over the top to create your calzone.)
Fold the other ½ of the disk of dough over the toppings.
Now it looks like 1/2 a pie. Fold the edges over to seal in all of the sauce. Use your fingers to create a pretty shape or seal the edges with a fork or just smush it to seal all the sauce and bits inside. You don't want it flowing out onto the cooking tray. You won't be able to get the calzones off the tray in one piece.
Gently place it on a baking sheet and using a sharp knife, cut 2 small slashes across the top to allow steam to escape.
Bake @ 375 degrees for 30 minutes.
They’re done when the dough is crunchy on top and a little brown.
Let rest for 5 minutes, before serving.
Serve with extra red sauce for dipping!