Quick & Easy Calzones

The secret to a good calzone?  Don't skimp on the cheese - and make sure one of the cheeses is Provolone.

Preheat your oven to 375. 

Mix up a batch of pizza dough.

Ingredients

1 cup warm  water

1 (2 1/4 teaspoons) envelope active dry yeast

1 teaspoon sugar

(I mix the above 3 together in a measuring cup)

1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 cups  flour

1 teaspoon salt

Add all of the above ingredients to a kitchen aid mixing bowl, mix together, then use the bread hook and let the kitchen aid run for a few minutes.  Or, optionally, mix by hand and knead.

Let it rise for a few minutes - but it does not need to be a full rise.

Roll into a rectangle (you can get two out of this recipe, it depends on how large you want to make them) and top with ham, pepperoni, & cheese (I use mozarella & provolone)

You can add others too - suggestions include mushrooms, onions, peppers, sausage...

Sprinkle with italian seasoning & sea salt

Fold in half, shape slightly into a crescent.  Seal the edges using the flat side of a knife, or a fork.

Slice vents in the top

Sprinkle the top with more coarse sea salt & italian seasonings

Bake.

I make two of these most friday nights all fall and winter.  I like to dip strips into sauce, but the boys like theirs plain, as is.

Because I make these so frequently, I get the ingredients in bulk and freeze them.

5.5 lbs of provolone is about $15 at Sam's club.

I bring it home, and chop it roughly with a large knife into 6 or 8 pieces.  

Place those pieces into a ziplock bag, and freeze - it will last for months

I do not like preshredded cheeses normally (they have an additive to keep them from clumping, which keeps them from melting as well) but this one is decent, and it's the cheapest option, and I keep it in the freezer.  $13.50 for 5lbs. 

This bag of pepperoni will last for months in the freezer.  It's around $10 at Sams's Club.

This is my favorite ham for calzones

Cut the packages in half, and put one in the freezer for later.

One package will easily make 2 calzones

This two pack is around $6 at Sam's Club