Calzoni - Folded Pizza

This is great for a crowd, I made it for some of my daughters friends and mums and made them make their own - laying out a selection of sliced peppers, onions, courgettes, chopped meats and salamis, sliced mozzarella and lots of grated cheese - that way they could stuff their own Calzoni with what they liked.

Preparation time: 30 minutes or so   Quantity: Makes 12 medium or 16 small   Cooking time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

Calzoni dough -
1 kilo/ 2lb&4 oz strong flour (or plain) -sifted
2 x 6/7g sachets or 3 teaspoons dried yeast
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons honey
600 ml/ 20 fl oz luke warm water

Tomato Sauce -
1 tin plum tomatoes
1 tin water (filled from above tin)
2 cloves garlic - crushed
1 large onion - chopped
1 large carrot (optional) - small diced
2 sticks celery - chopped
2 teaspoons paprika
1/4 teaspoon salt
12 twists black pepper
1 red pepper - diced
2 tablespoon tomato puree
2 tablespoons herbs -(optional) chopped

Fillings -
Anything you fancy and grated cheese and / or sliced mozzarella cheese

Method

Stage One -

  • Place all the dry ingredients (except water) in a large bowl
  • Add the warm water - use 200 ml of fresh boiled water and top with 400 ml of water from the cold tap to get the right temperature
  • Mix by hand or with a fork to form a dough
  • Knead for 10 minutes
  • Leave in a bowl covered with a damp towel somewhere warm to prove (rise and double in size) - like an airing cupboard or on a high shelf above an oven (approx. 1 hour)
  • (Take this time to make the tomato sauce)
  • Knock back and knead again for 2 - 3 minutes
  • Divide in to 12 balls and roll out each one on a floured board to make a circle the size of a small main dinner plate


Stage Two -

  • Place all the ingredients for the tomato sauce except the puree and the herbs in a large saucepan
  • Bring to the boil and then simmer for 25- 30 minutes
  • Blend till smooth
  • Stir in the puree and herbs (optional)
  • Taste and correct the seasoning


Stage Three -

  • Prepare the ingredients for your favourite fillings like -

3 cheese - mozzarella slices, blue cheese and grated parmesan with a few slices red onions
Or left over Bolognese with grated cheese
or sliced vegetables like courgettes, peppers, mushrooms and onions mixed with grated cheese
Or - slices of pepperoni, salamis with sliced peppers and chunks of mozzarella

  • Basically anything you fancy with cheese


Stage Four -
Assembly

  • Spoon 2 tablespoons of tomato puree in the middle of each Calzoni dough circle
  • Sprinkle on your choice of meats, vegetables and cheese
  • Fold over the pizza to form a semi circle
  • Push down the sides to seal
  • Drizzle with olive oil
  • Top with a little grated cheese (op)
  • Place on a greased tray and place in a preheated oven gas 6 - 7/ 210-220*c / 425-450*f on a middle shelf for 15 minutes or until golden and the base firm