Now that's a calzone.....

Calzones and Pizza are the typical Friday night dinner for Phil and I. I love making them for a casual dinner paired with some cold beer and a great movie makes for the perfect end to the work week.

The first calzone I ever tried was my nana's "spinach pizza", she called it. Of course, as a kid I would eat anything with the name pizza in it. When my nana cut me a slice and handed it to me, I thought it looked a little different from my Papa Gino's pizza, but I gave it a go. I remember the crust being crisp and a little sweet and the filling flavorful with spinach, ricotta, grated cheese and pepperoni. I fell in love with this "spinach pizza". Thinking back I remember visiting nana just hoping there would be a slice of "pizza" on the table for me.

As I grew and traveled, to Italy, calzone was more a small, individual meal. Walking the streets of Florence, we would find these on lunch carts and in deli's filled with various fillings, but mostly cheese and tomato. I liked them for their portability to continue to walk through the cobblestone streets of Italy and of course for their taste.

My calzone is made using my pizza dough and it is by no means an individual size. I typically make it hoping to have leftovers for a few days to fill my lunch bag for work. The fillings always change and I try to get as creative as possible. Some favorites are prosciutto, soppressata and provolone or sausage, peppers and onions or roasted assorted vegetables, with pesto and fontina cheese. For tonight's recipe I am going to share with you my recipe for Broccoli Calzone.....

For the dough
1 pkg active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
3 cups flour
1 tablespoon olive, plus more for the bowl
pinch kosher salt

Filling
3 cups broccoli florets, blanched
1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
1/2 cup diced pepperoni
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
1 egg
pinch pepper


For the dough
In a bowl combine the yeast and water to let the yeast bloom. Once the yeast is bubbly add the flour, oil and pinch of salt. Using your hand as a whisk, bring the dough together to form a soft dough. Coat the bowl with oil and cover with plastic. Allow dough to rise for at least an hour in a warm place.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a baking sheet by brushing oil all over the pan.

For the filling, very simply combine the ingredients in a bowl and carefully mix everything together. Be sure not to break apart the florets. Punch down the dough and take it out of the bowl. Using your fingers, spread the dough over the pan. If it keeps bouncing back, be patient with it and do not overwork it. Once you get the dough spread, using your finger tips punch holes all over the dough to create pockets. This will allow the filling to get right into those pockets. With the pan horizontal to you, fill the dough halfway up and all the way across. Once all spread, fold the dough over and secure the edges by rolling them over each other. Cut a few slits in the top to allow steam to allow the steam the come out. Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes without opening the oven, After 20 minutes, check the calzone for color. The dough will be golden and crisp and the filling will bubble through the holes. Overall baking time is 25-30 minutes. Cool on a wire rack before slicing. Slice calzone into pieces and pair with your favorite beer! Enjoy!