Pizza / Calzone Dough

This recipe makes two 10" x 13" thin crust pizzas or at least a dozen calzones.  I will use one half of the dough for a pizza and freeze the rest to make calzones or a second pizza another time.  This dough keeps nicely in the freezer when tightly shrink wrapped.  (Toppings and fillings are discussed at the end of this recipe.)

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 packet or 2 teaspoons active dry yeast 
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 and 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (plus a little extra if needed to dust).
• 1 and 1/3 cups warm water
• 1 teaspoon salt

How to:

• Whisk the water and sugar in a bowl and sprinkle the yeast on top.
• Stir in the olive oil when yeast is foamy (after 10 minutes).
• Whisk the flour and salt in a large bowl.
• Pour in the yeast mixture stirring until the dough is rough and all the flour is damp.
• Knead the dough until smooth and elastic (about 5 minutes).
• Form the dough into 2 balls, cover and let rise at room temperature for about 1 hour.
• Roll out and top as desired or wrap for the freezer.
• Sprinkle with flour if needed to roll out.

Pizza Toppings:  

My sauce is simple:  tomato paste seasoned with some salt, pepper, dried oregano and dried basil. Favorite toppings include seasoned ground beef (cook and season the beef first) and mushroom.

Chicken and artichoke hearts (again, the chicken has been chopped and fried first). 

Ham, pepperoni, onion, and fresh tomato.  The list is endless.  

Of course, grated mozzarella cheese 

Serve with parmesan and hot peppers at the table.  

Calzone Fillings:

My Calzone fillings are most often chopped steak, tomato based pasta sauce, onion (sometimes) and grated cheese.  Be sure to brush the calzones with olive oil as they bake at about 375 degrees F.  Click here to find out where the chopped steak comes from.