Recipes Pizza & Bread Displaying items by tag: calzone
Calzone di cipolle Spring Onion and Leek Pie
| Apparently the origins of this pie lie in the Spanish calzon, since the Bourbons ruled southern Italy as well as Spain for centuries. It is often served as part of antipasti in Puglia or eaten as a hot snack from bakeries. I was shown how to make it by a lady named Alessia who lives in a beautiful masseria (a traditional farmhouse) near Bari. Her incredibly thin pastry is made with wine, which gives off a wonderful aroma as it is heated. The Pugliesi use the local sponsale, a type of onion that is more bulbous than a spring onion and has a milder flavour. You can sometimes find them in the UK, sold as 'continental onions'. I have used a mixture of spring onions or continental onions and leeks, which prove to be equally delicious. The best olives — if you can find them — are Taggiasca; otherwise buy small whole black olives and stone them yourself. |
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4. Grease a loose-based 25cm flan tin with butter, dust with flour then tap out the excess. Make the pastry by mixing the ingredients in a bowl with a large spoon or plastic dough scraper. Use your hands to bring the mixture into a ball. Collect the bits from around the bowl with the dough, then tip it onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead until well amalgamated and evenly coloured. Wrap in clingfilm and chill in the fridge for at least 20 minutes or overnight. For the filling, fry the onions and leeks in a large frying pan with the oil, salt and pepper. After a couple of minutes, add the water and continue to cook over a medium heat for about 10-15 minutes. When the excess water has gone, add the sultanas and olives. Stir well to combine and remove from the heat. Stir in the Parmesan, adjust the seasoning as necessary and set aside. Thinly roll out one-third of the pastry into a circle on a well-floured surface. Keep rolling until it is just 1mm thick (you should be able to blow underneath and see it lift off the surface). Place the tin upside down on the pastry and draw around it with the tip of a knife. This is the pie lid. Roll out the remaining pastry to 1mm thick and line the tin, allowing a 3cm overhang. Trim with scissors. Pour in the leek filling and cover with the pastry lid. Roll and twist the overhanging pastry inwards over the lid to seal. Finish by making two holes in the centre with a sharp knife to allow steam to escape. Bake in the preheated oven for 35-45 minutes, until the top is golden. Leave to cool. Drizzle a little extra olive oil over the top and serve at room temperature. |
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Serves 8
FOR THE FILLING |
Sausage Calzone with Peppers
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MAKES 6 Calzone For the dough |
The most classic Italian filling for calzone, essentially a stuffed folded pizza, is ricotta and mozzarella, sometimes with the addition of prosciutto. Calzone lends itself to an array of fillings, in this case a spicy blend of fennel sausage, sweet red peppers, and salty pecorino. Experiment with different meats, vegetables, and cheeses, but make sure your filling is somewhat dry or you will end up with a soggy crust. |
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To make the dough, pour 11/2 cups (12 fl oz/375 ml) lukewarm water (100°-110°F/ 38°-43°C) into the bowl of a stand mixer. Sprinkle the yeast over the top and let stand until slightly foamy, about 5 minutes. Place the bowl on the mixer fitted with the dough hook. Add 1/2 cup (21/2 oz/75 g) of the flour and the salt; mix until combined. Add the remaining flour about 1/2 cup at a time, continuing to mix until all of the flour is incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl if necessary. Knead with the dough hook until the dough is smooth but not sticky, about 10 minutes. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface, divide into 6 portions, then shape each into a ball. Rub each ball with oil, and lightly oil a rimmed baking sheet. Place the balls on the baking sheet and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Set aside in a warm piace, such as on top of the stove, and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 2 hours. Alternatively, shape the dough into a large round, coat with olive oil, then piace in a large zippered plastic bag. Press out any excess air, and piace in the refrigerator overnight. When ready to bake the pizzas, remove the dough from the refrigerator and divide into 6 balls. Transfer the balls to a rimmed baking sheet and allow to come to room temperature, about 1 hour. olive oil. Add the peppers and 1 teaspoon salt and cook until they begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon water, cover, and cook until the peppers are tender, about 5 minutes longer. Add the sausage meat and the red pepper flakes and cook, stirring often, until the meat is browned. Set aside to cool slightly. Preheat the oven to 500°F (260°C) about 30 minutes before baking. Lightly oil a rimmed baking sheet. Lightly flour a work surface. Place 1 of the dough balls on the work surface, leaving the others under the plastic wrap. Flatten into a disk. Turn the disk over, sprinkle with additional flour, and, using your hands, stretch the dough into an 8-inch (20-cm) round, turning it over and dusting it with flour as you work. Place one-sixth of the filling in the center of the dough round and sprinkle with about one-sixth of the cheese. Lightly brush the edge of half of the dough circle with the egg mixture. Fold the dough in half over the filling and transfer to the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining 5 dough balls. Crimp the edges with a fork and cut vents into the top of each. Brush the tops gently with the egg mixture. Bake on the bottom rack of the oven until the crust is crisp and golden, about 10 minutes. Serve at once. Buon appetito ! |
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