Clean Calzones

Clean calzones sounds like an oxymoron, but it is not.  I got the dough recipe from the highly acclaimed food magazine, Bon appetite.  It is a no knead dough recipe.  It makes enough for three fluffy and thick calzones or four slightly thinner, yet just as fluffy!  Make this dough in advance because it takes a at least 18 hours to complete the rising of the dough.  Be sure to read this recipe carefully prior to starting your dough so you know EXACTLY what to expect... and what to do. 

Yes, there are quicker ways to make dough, but this dough calls for NO sugar and NO oil.  Plus, it has a rustic, Italian taste to it that you can use to make pizza if you choose not make calzones.  TWO FOR ONER!!!  Heck yes!


Ingredients:
3 3/4 cups all-purpose whole wheat flour (I bought mine from Trader Joe's)
2 tsp fine sea salt
1/4 tsp dry active yeast
1 1/2 cups warm water

Recipe:
Whisk ingredients together in medium bowl.  While stirring with a wooden spoon, slowly add 1 1/2 cups of water and stir until well incorporated.  Mix dough gently with your hands until it forms a small dough ball.  Transfer to a large bowl (because it's going to rise, baby!!!). Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise at room temp (about 72 degrees) in a draft free area until the surface is covered with tiny bubbles and the dough has more than doubled in size (which is approx. 18 hours). 

After it has risen, place dough on a floured work surface.  Gently shape dough into three big or four moderately sized dough balls.  Trick here is to continually fold the corners under the ball using both hands repeatedly.  With this action, continue dusting the dough balls with flour. 

Let the dough rest and cover with plastic wrap or a damp, warm kitchen towel.  You want the dough soft and pliable (approx. 1 hour).  Once this has happened, you are ready to rolllllll that dough out and make them caaaaalzones, baby!!!

For the sauce, I opened up a can of organic, no salt added tomato sauce put in a sauce pan and let it heat up.  Meanwhile, I diced some onions to my liking and garlic.  I tossed those into the sauce and then added some Italian herb seasoning.  I let that simmer for about 10 minutes or so... and then you are ready to put on your dough.  Divide your dough in half... if you are making circular calzones, fold use only one half for the sauce then add toppings... or fillings on top of the sauce. Save some sauce for dipping!  Lightly cover the dough, by the way.  Don't drench these calzones just yet with sauce. 

Toppings... well in this case, fillings can include anything that you'd put on a pizza.  I put chopped spinach, red and yellow peppers, yellow onion, garlic (yes MORE... hehehehehe), mushrooms in mine.  It was amazing!  Add mozzarella cheese, if you'd like!!! 

To finish your calzone, fold the untouched dough side of your calzone over the toppings/fillings and sauce. Then begin to pinch the outer edges together.  You can get fancy and twist... I am not much of a baker and have no patience so I pinched mine in orderly fashion... cross my fingers and they came out fine!  Haha!

Arrange the calzones on a baking sheet and bake in oven on 500 degrees  until the dough on the bottom is a crispy and brown.  The top of the cals should be golden and crispy, as well.  It should be about 10-12 minutes.  CAREFUL!  I'd keep on eye on these bad boys every four minutes.  Once the are cook thoroughly, they are ready to serve.  Be creative!  If you find this complicated, then make pizzas which are pretty much the same thing... except you cover ALL the dough with sauce and cheese... and you don't fold it... 

Good luck and cheers!  Enjoy!