"Santa Fe" Calzone

Posted by Unknown Monday, March 18, 2013

Taste Level: VGR
Cost: $20 and under
Serves: 2-4
Prep Time: 50-55 min.
Cook Time: 35-40 min.
Difficulty: 2

My parents were coming over and we were dead tired.  I decided if we made a calzone it wouldn't be too much work and would be really filling.  Issue being... We had dough but did not really shop for ingredients.  Luckily we had just made on of our favorite casseroles and had left over ingredients.  I whipped up a sauce, shredded some extra cheese and tossed it in the oven.  Great as a casserole, even greater as a Calzone!  Just goes to show you that you can recycle old ideas and left over ingredients into a new and wonderful meal!

(For instructions on how to make your own sourdough calzone skin check posting dated 7/7/09.)

Ingredients:
8 oz New York style chorizo
2 red potatoes (sliced, quartered)
1/2 red onion (chopped)
2 green onions (chopped)
1/4 cup fresh cilantro (chopped)
6 oz fresh mozzarella (shredded)
2 tbsp cheddar (shredded)
2 tbsp pepper jack (shredded)
2 chipotles in adobe sauce (diced)

Sauce
4 oz neufchatel cream cheese (softened)
2 tbsp sour cream
3 tbsp Mrs. Redford tequila salsa

Calzone Skin

(Optional Calzone Crust Filling)
2 tbsp Neufchatel Cream cheese
2-3 tsp jalapeno (seeded, diced)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat.  One heated add chorizo, red onion and red potatoes, cooking for 10 minutes.

Tossing dough
What works best for me is I strongly throw the ball of dough down on a solid flat surface covered with a piece of wax paper until it is large and flat enough for me to easily balance on top of both of my fists. Then I make an X with my arms keeping my fists close together (backhand to backhand, the dough atop of them both) and I fling the dough upwards with my fingers as I simultaneously bring my arms quickly parallel (palm to palm) about 3-4 inches apart. As the dough falls I remake my fists and catch the dough atop them again in the X position and repeat until the dough has formed a 12 inch thin crust (stretch into an oval.)

(Alternately you can lay dough on a solid flat surface covered with wax paper and squish flat with hands. Roll into a ball and slam the dough down onto your solid flat surface covered with a piece of wax paper. Using your fist mush the dough down repeatedly as if you were punching it softly but firmly (this helps get any air bubbles out of it.) Now using your finger tips press and stretch dough until you have formed a 12 inch spherical calzone skin.

Brushing Sauce
Mix together all ingredients in small bowl and sit to side until ready to use.

(Optional Crust Filling)
Mix ingredients together in a small bowl.

Calzone
In a medium mixing bowl toss all cooked and uncooked calzone ingredients together until evenly mixed.

Sprinkle corn meal onto a baking sheet and lay skin on to it. Spread sauce over one half of the calzone skin about an inch from the edge. Evenly spread out ingredient mixture. Fold uncovered skin over covered half and align the edges. (If using optional crust filling evenly spread mixture over the top outer edge before folding and twisting into the crust.) Fold and twist edges together from right to left until calzone is sealed (I tuck the last twist under the calzone for appearance.) (Make a few slits in calzone for venting if wanted.)

Place calzone on a baking sheet lightly coated with corn meal and brush with brushing sauce. Arrange your oven racks to where they are on the upper and lower thirds of the oven. If you are using a baking stone as we do place it directly onto the floor of a preheated oven for 45 minutes (but you will be less likely to ruin your pizza stone if you place it on a rack at its lowest position.) Place baking sheet with calzone on the top oven rack and bake for 20 minutes, move calzone onto pizza stone and continue to cook for 15-20 minutes or until bottom is crispy and top is golden brown. Slide calzone onto a cutting board or baking sheet and slice into 4 pieces and serve hot with marinara or your favorite dipping sauce (ranch dressing, honey and olive oil with balsamic and fresh cracked pepper our our favorites.) Enjoy!

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