Zucchini Calzone

Ok, what’s better than awesome? How about the response I got from my taste tester, ‘this is really f@%*ing good!’ Now that’s the kind of reaction I want for every meal I prepare! Perhaps, I could also use a phrase I learned recently from a Bostonian… Wicked Awesome!

I’ve been making Zucchini Calzone from The New Enchanted Broccoli Forest (EBF) by Mollie Katzen for about 7-8 years, always with great success! I’ve made the dough from scratch, I’ve bought pizza dough from the whole foods deli department, and I’ve made the olive oil dough from Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day (ABin5) by Jeff Hertzberg & Zoe Francois. Yesterday, I decided to make the dough from scratch but with a twist. I made Mollie’s dough using Jeff & Zoe’s method.

Calzone Dough
by the auspicious squirrel adapted from EBF & ABin5

Rating: Wicked Awesome & Really F@%*ing Good!

Makes about 4 good sized calzones

1 1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp lukewarm water (95-100°F)
2 1/4 tsp. yeast
2 1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. sugar
3 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 cup cornmeal, fine grain
filling (see recipe below)
red sauce (see step 13 below)

For a good description of this method in pictures see my previous post, science is fun! (bread).

1. Put the water in the bucket and microwave it about 15 seconds and then check the temperature, you want it close but not over 100°F.
2. Mix everything but the flours and cornmeal.
3. Dump the flours and cornmeal onto the liquid ingredients, and mix well. I use my (wet) hands at the very end, to make sure all the flour is incorporated.
4. Cover (not air-tight) and let rise at room temperature for 2 hours.
5. Then you can put the dough bucket w/ lid (not airtight) in the refrigerator for 1 week.
6. On baking day, preheat the oven to 425°F.
7. Take out about a lemon-size piece of dough and shape it into a ball, then roll out the dough into a disk.
8. Place about 1/2 cup filling (see recipe below) onto one side of the dough, then stretch the other side of the dough over the filling.



9. Crimp the edges with the tines of a fork, and poke holes in the area of the filling.



10. Repeat steps 7-9 for every serving. Keeping in mind that both the dough and the filling will keep for 5-7 days if stored separately. Reheating a baked calzone is possible, but in order to keep the crunchiness of the crust, it should be reheated in the oven. So why not just make a fresh one instead?
11. Bake on a cookie sheet or pizza stone for 15-20 minutes or until golden.



12. Cool 10 minutes before eating.
13. Serve with red sauce. I like to use an already prepared spaghetti sauce (like Ragu or Amy’s) or make one from scratch, if I have the time (I like the marinara sauce from Everyday Italian by Giada de Laurentiis). Yesterday I used Amy’s Roasted Garlic Pasta Sauce.

As you can see from the opening picture, I used 3 yellow squash instead of all zucchini like I usual. I figured they tasted similar to me. I did some research on the internet, and it seems quite possible that yellow squash is a ripe green zucchini. You say yellow squash and zucchini, I say summer squash… either way, this turned out great! Feel free to mix and match as you please.

Zucchini Calzone Filling
by the auspicious squirrel adapted from EBF

Rating: Wicked Awesome & Really F@%*ing Good!

1 Tbs. olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
pinch of salt
8 cloves garlic, minced
2-4 Tbsp. water, placed near stove
4-5 zucchini (or yellow squash, or mix of two), cut into small dice
1 tsp. dried oregano
fresh black pepper, to taste
crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
handful of fresh basil, minced or chiffonade

1. Heat olive oil in a large deep skillet. Add onion and salt, sauté over medium heat until onion starts to soften, about 5 minutes.
2. Add garlic and zucchini, sauté until zucchini is crisp tender, about 5 minutes. Add water a tablespoon at a time to prevent sticking, as needed.
3. Add oregano, crushed red pepper flakes and black pepper, sauté for a few minutes more, until zucchini is tender. Taste, adjust seasonings.
4. Remove from heat, stir in basil.
5. Follow steps 7-13 of the calzone dough (see recipe above).

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