MEAT CALZONE RECIPES

Steps:

• Prepare the crust: Combine tomato juice, yeast and 3/4 cup of the flour in a large bowl.
• Mix well then add oil, salt, and oregano, then gradually add the remaining 3/4 cup or so of flour.
• Work into a soft dough, then knead for 5 minutes on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic.
• Transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a clean towel in a warm place until doubled in size (about an hour).
• Begin preparing filling while you wait for dough to rise, see below.
• When dough has risen, divide it into 2 even balls and let rest another 15 minutes.
• Pat out dough balls into 2 crusts, each about 1/8 inch thick.
• To prepare filling: Brown the pepperoni a little in an ungreased non-stick skillet; add onion, garlic, pre-cooked and crumbled Italian sausage and ground beef.
• Cook together until ground beef is thoroughly cooked; pour off excess grease, then add oregano and tomato paste; stir to combine thoroughly and cook another 10 minutes.
• Add salt or pepper to taste and set aside to let cool for filling the calzone.
• To assemble the calzone: Spread filling on one half of the prepared crust; sprinkle evenly with mozzarella cheese and top with the other prepared crust and press down firmly along the edges with the tines of a fork to seal.
• Slash top crust with a knife as you would a pie, then bake on a lightly oiled pizza pan in a 450 degree oven 12 to 15 minutes, until lightly browned.
• Alternatively, you could make two separate calzones instead of one large one.

Steps:

• Make the dough: In a medium bowl, combine the warm water, yeast, flour, and salt. Mix with a rubber spatula until well-combined and the dough comes together into a ball.
• Lightly flour a clean surface, then turn the dough out and knead for 1-2 minutes to smooth and encourage gluten development. Shape the dough into a ball.
• Drizzle the olive oil in a clean large bowl. Add the dough ball and turn to coat in the oil. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
• Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• While the dough is rising, make the filling: Add the sausage to a medium nonstick pan over medium heat and cook until no longer pink, 5-6 minutes. Add the onion, salt, and pepper and continue to cook until the sausage is browned, about 5 minutes more. Remove from the heat and let cool.
• After the dough has risen, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into 4 portions, then roll each into and round about ¼-inch (½ cm) thick.
• Spread ¼ of the sauce over one half of each dough round, leaving a ½-inch (1 cm) border along the edge. Top each one with 2 slices of ham, 5 pepperoni, ¼ of the sausage and onion mixture, and ¼ cup (25 G) of mozzarella cheese.
• Lightly beat the egg with a pinch of salt. Brush the egg wash on the border of the dough, fold the other half over, and press the edges together. Starting from one corner, fold the dough over itself in a twist. Tuck the other corner underneath. Transfer the calzones to the prepared baking sheet. Brush lightly with egg wash and score the tops with a knife to allow steam to escape.
• Bake for 15-17 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool for 5 minutes.
• Serve the calzones with marinara sauce for dipping, if desired.
• Enjoy!