Wednesday, August 6, 2014

Calzones - For those days when you really want to be happy!

After eons today I baked bread! It is so therapeutic cant express in words. And when the fresh aroma of bread fills your home you will be so happy. I made Calzones. Stuffed with a spicy cheesy filling. I used my basic buns recipe and it turned out great. Made a filling of whatever I could lay my hands on - some home made paneer, some grated cheddar and mozzarella tossed in some ready to use pizza sauce..voila! It turned out a winner at my very first attempt.


Ingredients:

For the bread dough:

Plain flour - 2 cups + a little for dusting

Warm milk - 1 cup

Fast action dried yeast/Instant yeast - 2 tsp

Salt - 1 tsp

Sugar - 1 tsp

Olive oil - 2 tbsp.

Method:

In a bowl put the flour,yeast and the sugar. Make a well and add the warm milk - as much required to make a soft pliable dough. Add the salt and the olive oil and knead well on a lightly dusted surface for atleast 10 mins.

The dough should be soft and springy to touch. Put it in a greased bowl and leave it in a warm place to rest for an hour.I usually stuff it inside my microwave. The dough will double in size by now.

In the mean while make the filling. Recipe listed below.

Take the dough out on a lightly floured surface again and knock it down gently. Put it back into the greased bowl and let it rest again for 20 mins.

For the filling:

Grated paneer - 1 cup

Grated cheddar - 1/2 cup

Grated mozzarella - 1/2 cup

Onion - 1 medium - finely chopped

Parsely leaves - a handful - finely chopped

Pizza sauce - 2 tbsp. - I used the ready made one. You could even use some tomato ketchup.

Olive oil - 1 tsp

Salt -to taste

Pepper - to taste

Method:



In a non stick pan heat the olive oil. Lightly sauté the onions. Add the grated paneer and the pizza sace and mix well. Add the chopped parsley and the grated cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and keep aside.


Now to make the calzones. Make little balls of the dough and roll it out flat. Like we roll out pooris/luchis but not very thin.

Take a spoonful of the filling and lay in in the centre. Fold into a half moon.


With a fork , neatly press the edges to make a design. Make sure its properly pressed or else the filling will pop out while baking. Similarly make the rest of the calzones. It makes about 8. Brush the calzone with a mix of little milk and butter.

Lay them neatly on a baking tray lined with aluminium foil. Bake in a pre heated oven at 180 degrees for 20 mins. Brush them again after 10 mins of baking with the milk -butter mixture to get that lovely colour on top.

Take them off the oven once done. Let it cool a bit before serving.




Notes:
  • Make sure you knead the dough well atleast for 10 mins. This will result in softer bread.
  • You can use any filling. Chicken or mushroom or some vegetables sautéed together. Just about anything would do.
  • Don't forget to brush the calzones with the milk butter mixture while baking to get that beautiful colour.
  • Press the edges of the calzones well or else the filling oozes out.
Happy Baking my friends!
 

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