Calzone

Calzone
Dough-
2 1/2 t (1 pkg) yeast
1 1/3 c warm water
1/4 c olive oil, plus more
1/2 t salt
4-5 c flour
Filling-
marinara sauce
meats (pepperoni, sausage, ham, chicken, etc)
veggies (olives, mushrooms, peppers, onions, jalapenos, etc)
herbs (basil, oregano, Italian seasoning, etc)
cheese (Mozzarella, Cheddar, Parmesan, etc)


1. Using stand mixer with dough hook, dissolve yeast in water; add oil, salt, and 2 cups of flour; beat until smooth.
2. Add remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time, until it forms a soft dough; knead on low for about 10 minutes until dough becomes smooth and elastic.
3. Place dough in a greased glass bowl and turn once so dough gets greased as well; cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.

4. Preheat oven to 400*.
5.Punch down the dough and halve it; lightly grease, or line with foil, one (refrigerate/freeze half of the dough for later use) or two cookie sheets (halve the dough and perform steps 6-10 for each calzone).
6. Roll out into a large rectangle on a lightly floured surface; transfer to cookie sheet and turn lengthwise.
7. Spread enough marinara sauce to just cover the middle third of the dough with about 1/4" or less of sauce; layer meats, veggies, herbs, and cheese.
8. Rotate sheet 90* and cut slits in the dough from the outer edge in to the sauce, stopping about 1/4" from the sauce; rotate sheet and repeat for the other side of the dough [slits|filling|slits].
9. Rotate sheet 90* so that it's lengthwise again and braid dough slits like you're lacing up a shoe (one side across filling and then the other, repeat, repeat, repeat); pinch the ends to seal them.
10. Brush calzone with olive oil and sprinkle on some more herbs, if desired.
11. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown; place on cooling rack to cool.