Thursday 2 May 2013

Sausage and Artichoke Calzones














The only thing better than pizza, is portable pizza. A pizza where the "toppings" are actually "fillings". A pizza you can hold in one hand while you're flicking through your foodie mags at lunchtime. A pizza you can stuff in your pie hole when you're running to the car, almost late for the school pick up.  A pizza you can eat when you're typing your blog post and you don't even need a plate... I think... Well, at least until the "Enter" key on the keyboard starts sticking.



Sausage and Artichoke Calzones
makes 8

For the Dough:
30g fresh yeast
30g honey
630ml lukewarm water
1kg baker's flour
25g salt

For the Filling:
Italian pork and fennel sausages, casing removed
1/2 jar of your favourite Marinara sauce (I used my homemade tomato sauce)
A jar of small artichoke hearts in water, drained and patted dry with kitchen towel
250g fresh mozzarella (I used bambini)
A handful of fresh baby spinach
1/2 red capsicum, diced small
A handful basil leaves
Parmesan, finely grated

Blitz the sausage in a food processor until it is finely diced. Fry in a medium frying pan over a medium-high heat until it is golden and crispy. Remove from the pan onto kitchen paper. Wipe the pan out, put it back on the heat and add the spinach. Fry the spinach until it is wilted. Allow is to cool and then squeeze os much liquid out of it as you can.

Make the Dough:
Dissolve the yeast and honey in the water. Set aside.

Put the flours and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add the liquid mixture and mix for 10 minutes on low speed. It should be quite wet and sticky.

Put the dough into a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and set it aside in a warm place to rise until doubled in bulk - about 1 1/2 hours.

Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 1 minute. Divide the dough into eight equal portions and roll the portions into balls. Rolls the dough into 20cm discs.


Assemble the Calzone:
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C. Line two baking trays with baking paper.

On one side of each of the discs of dough, place a spoonful of marinara/tomato sauce, some fried sausage, a little of the wilted spinach, a couple of artichoke hearts, some mozzarella, a few basil leaves, a sprinkle of chopped capsicum and a grating of parmesan. Fold the other side over to completely cover the fillings. Crimp the edges and dust the tops with flour. Slash the tops a few time with a sharp knife. Put them on the prepared baking trays and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a pale golden colour and you can see the filling bubbling out through the slashes.

8 comments:

  1. Sounds like the perfect brunch, or lunch......... or dinner for that matter.

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  2. Ohhh I love calzones!! You're right, it's the only that's better than pizza :) I never thought of putting some mozzarella balls in it, genius!! :)

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  3. Oh yum. So glad to know I'm not the only one with sticking keys. Beautiful photos as usual!

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  4. CRAVING this right now. Actually, craving this always.

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  5. Thanks Sam. Good for every occasion.

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  6. Thanks Gabrielle. MOZZARELLA YAY!

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  7. Thanks Pink Patisserie. Don't know how my keyboard gets so grubby????

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  8. I know what you mean and where you're coming from Little Kitchie.

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