Spinach and Ricotta Calzone
- Level: Intermediate
- Yield: 1 calzone
- Total: 3 hr 20 min
- Prep: 25 min
- Inactive: 2 hr 30 min
- Cook: 25 min
Ingredients
Flour, for rolling dough
1/2 recipe Basic Pizza Dough, recipe follows
5 ounces frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed of excess water
1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
1 small ball fresh mozzarella, grated
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
5 grinds black pepper
Coarse cornmeal, for dusting baking sheet
2 tablespoons olive oil
Directions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
- Lightly dust the work surface and rolling pin with flour. Roll the dough out into an 8 by 11-inch oval.
- In a medium bowl, mix the spinach, ricotta, and mozzarella and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Place all the filling on 1 half of the dough leaving a 3/4-inch border along the edge.
- Fold the remaining dough over the filling until the edges line up and pinch the edges together to seal. Gently roll the pinched edges under to form a decorative rim.
- Place the calzone on a baking sheet dusted with cornmeal and brush the top with olive oil.
- Bake until golden brown and the center is hot and melted, 25 minutes, rotating midway through cooking.
- Basic Pizza Dough:
- 1 package active dry yeast
- 3/4 cup warm water, about 110 degrees F
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for kneading
- 1 teaspoon salt
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together yeast, warm water, sugar and olive oil. Let sit for about 3 minutes to fully dissolve and activate the yeast.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour and salt.
- With a rubber spatula, gradually mix the yeast mixture into the flour until just combined and dough barely holds together. Turn the dough out onto a clean counter surface dusted with flour.
- Knead the dough with flour-dusted hands until the dough has become smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. The surface should be tight and silky and bounce back slightly when pressed. Lightly grease a large mixing bowl with olive oil and place the dough in it.
- Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and set in a warm place to rise until doubled in size, 1 to 2 hours.
- Once doubled, punch the dough down and divide it into 2 equal pieces. Knead each 1 slightly to form a uniform ball. Set aside and cover them with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap to rest for 30 minutes.
- Cook's Note: Dough can be made the day before and refrigerated overnight once it is divided. Keep covered tightly in plastic wrap or in a sealed food storage bag.
- Yield: 2 dough balls