Sunday, Jan. 22, 2012

I've decided at least once a month this will involve a picture of food and a recipe for those of you who care to try it yourself. 

This recipe takes awhile (given you have to let dough rise, make filling and make sauce) but it's worth it and honestly not difficult as long as you've got the patience. I did laundry, cleaned my room and made lesson plans at the same time.

Homemade veggie calzone and spicy marinara sauce

For the dough:

2 cups flour

1 packet yeast

2 tsp salt

2 cups water

2 tbsp veggie oil

In the bowl of a food processor mix dry ingredients. Turn on food processor and slowly add 1 cup of water and both Tbsp oil. Slowly add the rest of the water until the dough forms a ball. It's unlikely you'll need more water, but if it's dry, go for it. If it's too wet, add some more flour.

Turn dough out on a floured surface and knead for a few minutes. Don't over knead!

Put dough in an oiled bowl, cover with a towel and let rise for 1-2 hours. 

For the filling:

butter or olive oil

1/2 medium red onion, diced

1 clove of garlic, minced

1/2 red bell pepper, diced

8-12 mushrooms, sliced

4-5 clumps of frozen spinach (you can use fresh)

6 oz. of ricotta cheese

On low heat, sautee onions and garlic in the butter or olive oil. Once onions are translucent, add mushrooms and bell peppers. When mushrooms have softened and begin turning darker, add spinach. Once all vegetables are properly sauteed, turn off heat and let cool. 

When veggies have cooled to about room temperature, put in a bowl and add ricotta. Mix well.

For the sauce:

(I made the sauce and the filling at the same time since they have some similar ingredients.)

butter or olive oil

1/2 medium red onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 can of diced tomatoes (What? Tomatoes are out of season right now.)

1/2 Tbsp brown sugar

1 Tbsp red chili flakes (less if you don't like things too spicy. This has quite the kick.)

Oregano

Basil

salt

pepper

Sautee onion and garlic in butter or oil. (Familiar much?) Add spices, letting chili flakes really soak it up. Add tomatoes and brown sugar. Adjust spices to taste. Let simmer roughly 20-30 minutes. Let cool then blend with an immersion blender. (Mind the splatter.)

For assembly:

Preheat your oven to 350F/180C.

Split dough into 4-5 balls (I did 5 and they were the perfect size for me). Roll out into circles on a well-floured surface. You can simply flatten the balls and then use your hands, pulling the dough and turning it in a circle, or use the traditional method of rolling it out with a rolling pin. (If no rolling pin on hand, use a [clean] wine bottle or large beer bottle. Same effect.) The circles should get to roughly 6" in diameter. You be the judge.

Once you have your rolled out dough, put filling on one half of the dough (in a semi-circle) making sure to leave about an inch. fold the dough over and then pleat the inch you've left making sure to fold upward and in so all the filling stays in. 

Bake for about 30 mins. Enjoy with a side of marinara sauce.