Calzone

Calzone-substantial for dinner yet appealingly portable for lunch

One of the not so favourable task in my house is packing school lunches.  Since my kids prefer to take leftovers instead of sandwiches, weekday dinners are often influenced by what makes great lunch time fare.  And,  there's the challenge.  What's substantial  for dinners yet appealingly portable for lunch?  For me, one of the answer is  a homemade calzone.

Calzone is a savoury Italian turnover stuffed with tomato sauce and cheese. It is a type of  stuffed pizza that is  folded in half and closed with a scalloped edge so that the food inside is steamed. This Italian food came into being more than 150 years ago in Naples and is now  found throughout Italy and in most North American cities.  It is a stuffed pizza, bulging with vegetables, cheese and other fillings.

There are so many wonderful things about this kind of pizza. By being enclosed in the dough, the  ingredients of the filling  keep their true essence.  All the flavours are sealed in, whereas on a traditional flat pizza they dissipate, dry out and lose some of their succulence. Another beauty of this dish  is its portability.  It can easily be eaten on the run if lunchtime is short and rushed. Finally there is the sensual appeal of  sinking your teeth  into the crispy, golden crust of a calzone to reveal a luscious filling. By far, eating a calzone is totally a different experience than eating a pizza.

The process to make a calzone starts with the dough.   What you use depends how pressed you are for time. Buying the store bought pie crust, crescent dough, or biscuit dough all make quick choices.  Although it does require an hour rising time, the best pocket for the calzones is a yeasty dough.  I simply use my never fail pizza dough recipe.

Just like any pizza toppings, you can add and subtract ingredients according to preference. Fillings for calzones vary depending on taste, and can be made catered to individual personal choice.

In general, a calzone is hearty fare, and meant to be a substantial meal. Most fillings start with a mixture of cheeses including Parmesan, ricotta, and mozzarella. Next, chopped cooked meats are added, along with vegetables like onions, garlic, spinach, tomatoes, and others. An entirely vegetarian calzone may be made of  a rich vegetable mixture with the addition of tofu. Like the pizza sauce spices and herbs added typically include oregano, pepper, nutmeg, basil, marjoram, fennel, parsley, thyme, sage, and rosemary. If adding a sauce, mix it with the fillings before stuffing the pocket.

Just because the calzone is of Italian origin, it doesn't mean that they have to be limited with Italian flavours.  Incorporate new flavours from global kitchens: replace tomato sauce with  mango chutney, salsa, pesto or the Szechwan sauce. Use cooked tandoori chicken, taco seasoned ground meat, or spicy lamb souvlaki.  Combination of flavours are just endless.

Whatever you decide to include into your filling, just don't  over stuff. Adding too much will make it  difficult to seal the edges without squirting sauce out the side.

Calzones are also great to make ahead and freeze. Simply prepare and assemble calzone and place on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Once frozen tightly wrap each calzone in plastic wrap. Transfer calzones to reseal-able plastic bags; label and date.  These can be frozen for up to two months. To serve, unwrap calzones, and place on parchment-lined baking sheets; bake without thawing until golden, at 350C for 30 to 40 minutes.

If you are craving something  a little sweet after your savoury calzone,  the Italian pastry can also take on a sweet  twist.  By adding pre-made pie fillings  or hazel nut chocolate spread within the pastry layer, can easily turn the calzone into a desert.

So next time you are in a conundrum  about what to send in the lunch box, consider the convenient calzone. It will make the grades with your kids.

Steps to making a perfect calzone:

1. Mix the dough according to the package or recipe instructions. Cover and let the dough rise until doubled.

2. Roll out a small dough ball (about 8 ounces) into a round 1/4 inch thick. The gluten in the dough may try to make the dough spring back into shape. It’s often easier to roll the dough partially, let it sit for a few minutes to relax, and then roll the dough again. Try to roll the dough uniformly. Thin spots lead to leaks.

3. Place the filling of your choice on half of the dough.

4. Fold the top of the calzone crust over the bottom into the traditional half-moon shape. Seal the edges by crimping them with a fork. Be sure to press firmly enough to seal the edges and keep the fillings from leaking. Use the edge of a knife or fork to shape the crust edge into a uniform border.

5. Just before baking, brush each calzone all over with a beaten egg.  At this point you can  sprinkle with a flavour enhancer of your choice: parmesan cheese, sesame seeds, garlic powder, etc .

Tandoori Chicken Calzone

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 chicken breasts, diced

1 teaspoon tandoori powder

1/2 teaspoon taco seasoning

chopped cilantro, finely chopped

red onion, thinly sliced

Mango chutney

mozzarella cheese

dough for 1 pizza

Heat oil in a frying pan.  Add chicken and spices.  Cook until chicken is cooked through. Take off heat and add onion and cilantro.  Cool mixture.  Divide dough into 4 balls.  Roll out.  Spread Mango chutney on 1/2 of dough.  Top with chicken and cheese.  Seal shut and bake at 425C for 20-25  minutes or until golden brown.

Tex-Mex Calzones

Homemade or store-bought pizza dough – enough for 4 servings

1/2 lb lean ground turkey (7% fat)

1 heaping teaspoon taco seasoning blend

2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup diced white onion

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 large green bell pepper, diced (about 1/2 cup)

1/4 cup salsa of choice

1/2 cup shredded light Mexican-style cheese

1/2 large avocado, peeled and pitted

1/4 cup 2% plain Greek yogurt

1/4 tsp Kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

 Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Heat olive oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the onions have begun to soften. Add in the garlic, and saute for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add in the ground turkey, and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring to crumble. Stir in the green pepper and taco seasoning mix and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and stir in the salsa.

Divide the cooked meat and vegetables into 4 equal servings and spoon each onto 1/2 of a pizza dough circle. Top the filling evenly with the shredded cheese. Fold the other half of the pizza dough over the filling and pinch edges closed. Using the tines of a fork, pierce the top of each calzone a few times to let the steam out while cooking.

Place calzones into the oven, and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the calzones are golden brown. Meanwhile, prepare the avocado cream by mashing together the avocado flesh, yogurt, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Once cooked, let the calzones sit at room temperature for a few minutes. Slice each calzone in half, and serve with the avocado cream.

                                                                                           Banana and Nutella Calzone

Roll out a small amount of pizza dough . Spread Nutella (hazelnut-chocolate filling) inside, add sliced banana and place on top of Nutella . Fold in half, and shape like a crescent, trimming the excess dough from crescent 425C  for approximately 25 minutes or until golden.  Serve with  scoop of vanilla ice cream. 

Vegan-educated

Chocolate cake with no dairy or eggs

My niece announced earlier this year, that she will no longer be eating meat, dairy, eggs and any other animal by-products.  She was going vegan! Thinking that it was another one of her whimsical teenage phase, I didn't think much of it.  But after six months, she is still embracing her new lifestyle change.

Though I love to explore different cuisine and cooking techniques, I have to admit, I found veganism totally intimidating. After her announcement I began to eliminate all my signature meals, which I used to make for her.  No more backyard wiener roast, no more fresh baking welcoming her arrivals, and the idea of having her over for birthday parties and family get together seemed to be more daunting.  

The first few times she stayed with us, I simply prepared food that I was most comfortable preparing---Indian food.  The Indian cuisine base its meals around lentil and vegetables, using meat as a supplement or not at all. So I would prepare a repertoire of vegetables curries and lentil dahls during her visit. But after a few of these , my kids' faces would transform into painful contours whenever she phoned that she was coming. 

Suddenly the task of preparing food that will keep everyone happy seemed a bit more challenging.

I decided it was time to quit focusing on everything my niece could not have and discover ingredients and recipes that could be enjoyed together again. So, I went on the quest to become more "vegan-educated" .

I learned about vegan friendly products available at the grocery stores and some clever substitutions that can be used to accommodate the vegan diet.  I then started exploring  and checking out  store aisle which I normally overlooked. My mission was to discover substitution for meat, dairy, and eggs.

Mock meat products were easy to find, and were available in grocer's refrigerator or freezer section. Essentially, this is a substitute for meat made with ingredients such as soy, tofu and wheat gluten, which tries to replicate the taste, texture and appearance of real meats. There are many companies producing a varieties of mock meat products and after cooking and grilling up a few, I have discovered that they are designed to be cooked just like their real-meat counterparts. If you can grill a hot dog, you can grill a "not dog" too!

My journey also lead me into the world of Tofu!  My family hates tofu and I have been banned from bringing it in the house, but I love Tofu! I have experimented with it many times and disguised them into many family meals. Tofu is made by coagulating soy milk, and then pressing the curds into soft white blocks. 

 On its own, it has very little flavor, so it can be used in a variety of dishes, both sweet and savory. Silken and regular tofu can be found on most grocery store shelves. Silken tofu is equivalent to a thin custard or heavy cream and I have found  works well in pureed or blended dishes, like dips and spreads, soups, and baked desserts. You can make many recipes much healthier by substituting pureed silken tofu for mayonnaise, cream or sour cream. Regular tofu comes in medium firm, firm or extra firm and generally  have a very meaty texture so this variety  work well in stir fries and for grilling.  Crumbled tofu can be substituted for cottage cheese or ricotta cheese in lasagna and similar dishes

Since tofu really has no flavor, it’s important that it is seasoned properly. If you grill a slab of tofu with nothing on it, it won’t taste very good. Tofu acts like a sponge, so it’s important to give it flavors to absorb. Whenever I make tofu as a meat replacement, I always marinate it first, usually all day so that it really soaks in.

With so many non-dairy options available, it’s not hard to replace dairy milk in the vegan diet. You can find all different milk alternatives at most grocery stores.  There is almond,  rice and soy milk that taste just as good and could easily be replaced in recipes that calls for dairy milk.Buttermilk can be replaced with soured soy or rice milk. For each cup of buttermilk, use 1 cup soymilk plus 1 tablespoon of vinegar. Several brands of non-dairy cream cheese are available in some supermarkets and health food stores.

Butter can be replaced with several different products, the most common of which is margarine. However, not all margarines are vegan. It is very important to read the labels of margarines and look out for things like whey, lactose and modified milk ingredients. Vegan Becel and Earth Balance margarine are the safe choices when looking for non-dairy product. There are also other ways of replacing butter like using all vegetable shortening or oil.

In baking,  when egg is used as binder, one egg can be substituted by using 1/4 cup of applesauce, mashed banana or silken tofu.  Vinegar is also a great egg replacer and as mentioned earlier, it can turn ordinary soy milk into buttermilk.

I think my greatest lesson learned through this journey was just how easy it is to turn our favorite foods appropriate for my niece by simply substituting a few common ingredients. For example, if I was planning on making potato salad for a barbeque then I substitute soy-based vegan mayonnaise for the traditional egg-based variety. Making a salad? Leave the cheese and dressing out on the side for people to add themselves, and you've ensured that everyone can enjoy the veggies, even if they can't eat dairy products or creamy dressings. I found many of my baked goods that I would greet my niece with could easily be made by using vegan friendly ingredients. And the kicker---the rest of the family wasn't even able to tell the difference!

I have discovered that there are countless morning bread recipes, wide range of meatless main course meals and some so decadent chocolate delights that we can still enjoy with our veganarian!

 Tandoori Tofu Kabob

 350g firm tofu

3 tbsp soy milk

2 tbsp Tandoori masala

1/4 tsp red chili powder

1/2 tsp garam masala

1 tbsp fresh ground ginger

1 tbsp fresh ground garlic

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp salt or according to taste

Cubed vegetables (red, green pepper, tomatoes, zucchini etc.)

Skewers, soaked

 Cut tofu into 1-inch cubes. Mix all ingredients (except tofu and vegetables ) in yogurt. Add tofu and marinate overnight. Skewer tofu with vegetables and grill for 5 minutes on hot barbecue. For a juicer kabob you can also sauté in olive oil in frying pan.

Fresh tomato “cream” sauce with garlic and basil

5 hot house tomatoes ,- chop them up with juices

1/4 cup of tomato paste

1 cup of raw cashews - soak them in water overnight

1 cup finely minced fresh basil

6 cloves garlic

Linguine, cooked

Chilli pepper for garnish

Using a blender, blend the tomatoes to juice consistency. Next, add 1/4 cup of the tomato paste and the soaked cashews (drained).Puree until the cashews are fully blended - this could take a few minutes. In a large pan, heat 1/4 cup of olive oil and add 6 cloves minced or pressed garlic After 2 minutes, add the sauce from the blender and mix it all together. Lower the heat and mix in the cup of fresh basil. Mix the pasta and the sauce and serve with some fresh basil on top and crushed chilli peppers for garnish.

Vegan chocolate cake

1 1/4 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup warm water
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp distilled white or apple cider vinegar

Chocolate Glaze

1/2 cup sugar
4 tbsp vegan margarine (Becel)
2 tbsp soy milk
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In an 8X8 square pan/dish, mix together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt with a fork, making sure it is really blended together. Add the water, vanilla, oil, and vinegar, and again, mix together so that it's really blended together. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides if necessary. Place in oven and bake for about 30 minutes, or until a knife comes out clean. Cool on a rack completely. For the glaze, in a small saucepan, bring sugar, margarine, milk, and cocoa to a boil. Stir frequently; then reduce heat to a simmer for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. It'll look gloppy, but it's just the bubbles! Remove from heat and stir for another 5 minutes.

Add vanilla, stir, and immediately pour onto cake. Glaze dries really quickly, so spread it immediately.

Vegan Blueberry Muffins

 2 cups  all purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 lemon  zest

3/4  cup sugar

1 cup soy milk

1/3 cup Canola oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 tablespoon white vinegar

1 and 1/2 cups resh OR frozen flueberries

Preheat the oven to 375F. Lightly grease a muffin tin. In a medium bowl, combine together flour, baking soda, salt and lemon zest. In a large bowl, combine the sugar, milk, oil, extract, and vinegar. Mix well. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stir until just combined. Don’t over stir..Gently fold in the berries using a rubber spatula. Fill the muffin tins about 2/3rds full. Bake until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean, about 22 minutes.