You will be presently surprised to learn that making homemade calzones is a lot easier than you think. They freeze wonderfully and are a great solution to that timeless question, "What do I pack for lunch"?
Combine the yeast, sugar and lukewarm water in a small bowl.
Stir with fork and set aside for about 5 minutes (it will begin to proof).
In the bowl of a stand mixer, measure and sift 1 cup of flour.
Add yeast mixture. Combine with wooden spoon until smooth.
Add the rest of the sifted flour (1½ cups), oil, and salt. Mix on medium speed using dough hook attachment until smooth and elastic (approximately 5 minutes). Alternately, you can knead by hand.
Place in a lightly greased bowl. Turn dough over ensuring the entire dough has a thin layer of oil. (I use about ½ teaspoon of olive oil).
Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rise for approximately 40 minutes (will double in size).
For the filling:
Meanwhile, prepare your filling by adding about 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large saucepan. Stir fry the garlic, onion, mushrooms and spinach. Set aside to cool off slightly.
Combine this vegetable mixture with the ricotta and mozzarella. Mix thoroughly together.
Preheat oven to 400° F.
Pre-heat pizza stone (if using) or line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Punch down dough and divide into 8 pieces. Knead each piece into a ball and then using a rolling pin, roll out your dough, on a lightly floured wooden board, to approx 4-5" circle.
Place about ½ cup of filling in the bottom half per calzone, making sure to not come within ½ inch of the edges.
Fold the dough over the filling and press to seal tightly.
Brush tops with olive oil. and sprinkle with dried oregano.
Make diagonal slits or prick the tops with a fork before baking allowing for the steam to escape.
Place calzones on a pre-heated pizza stone or on a parchment lined baking sheet.
Bake at 400°F for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. The bake time will depend on the size of your calzones.
Place on cooling rack.
Notes
Baking the calzones in a very hot oven will prevent the crust from getting soggy.Please keep in mind that the nutritional information provided below is just a rough estimate and variations can occur depending on the specific ingredients used. *recipe adapted from allrecipes.com