VEGGIE CALZONES
Bread dough makes it a breeze to assemble these savory turnovers. They freeze well, and once frozen, they can be heated in half an hour. If you have a favorite pizza dough, use it instead.
—LEE ANN AREY GRAY, ME
PREP: 25 MIN. + RISING • BAKE: 35 MIN. • MAKES: 8 SERVINGS
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium green pepper, chopped
2 tablespoons canola oil
3 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 loaves (1 pound each) frozen bread dough, thawed
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
1. In a large skillet, saute mushrooms, onion and green pepper in oil until tender. Add tomatoes; cook and stir 3 minutes. Stir in tomato paste; set aside. Combine cheeses and set aside.
2. On a lightly floured surface, divide dough into eight pieces. Roll each piece into a 7-in. circle. Spoon a scant 1/2 cup of vegetable mixture and 1/4 cup of cheese mixture over one side of each circle. Brush edges of dough with water; fold dough over filling and press edges with a fork to seal. Place calzones 3 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Cover and let rise in a warm place 20 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 375°. Whisk the egg and water; brush over calzones. Bake 33-37 minutes.
FREEZE OPTION Bake calzones 15 minutes and cool. Place in a resealable freezer bag. Seal bag and freeze up to 3 months. To use, preheat oven to 350°. Place frozen calzones 2 in. apart on a greased baking sheet. Bake 30-35 minutes or until golden brown.