Margi Cintrano
Washing Up
Italia is a pizza lover´s mecca. Over the last 30 years, we have wandered from region to region, town to town, hamlet to hamlet and metroplitan city to metropolitan city, sampling pizzas and calzones in every size, shape, and flavor imaginable. Traditional Calzones are the soul of Sicilia, and here is how to recreate them, failproof easy as A to Z ... 
Sicilian Traditional Calzones with Home Made Ricotta, Leeks, Fennel & Bufala di Mozzarella ... Basic Pizza Dough By Hand
1 1/3 cup warm water 115 degrees farenheit
1 package active dry yeast
3 cups all purpose flour ( unbleached or bleached ) and, plus more for kneading
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. Extra virgin olive oil ( Italian )
To Make Dough By Hand ...
In a large bowl, combine water and yeast. Whisk until yeast has dissolved. In another bowl, combine flour and salt. Gradually and extremely slowly add flour and salt mixture to the yeast mixture, stirring with a wooden spoon, until a soft dough forms.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. With lightly floured hands, knead until dough is smooth and elastic, no less than 9 to 10 minutes.
To Let Dough Rise ...
Lightly oil a large bowl and add the dough, turning several times to oil all sides. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm, draft free place for about 1 and a half hours, or until it has doubled in size. Punch the dough down. This mound of dough shall make 4 calzones or 2 pizzas.
Leek, Fennel, Proscuitto di Parma, Bufala di Mozzarella & Ricotta Calzone ...
1 and 1/2 half pounds of dough ( see recipe above which is 1 and 1/2 pounds of dough )
1 large leek
1 small to medium size fresh fennel
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Ricotta ( See My Recipe: Cheeses for Homemade Ricotta )
1 fresh Mozzarella di Bufala drained of liquid
oregano, basil, parsley and 1 capscium dried red pepper in flake form
1) cut the dough into 4 equal parts and squeeze out any air bubbles
2) shape each piece into a ball and place the balls several inches apart on a lightly floured work surface
3) cover with plastic wrap and let rise again, a 2nd time until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour )
4) preheat oven 325 farenheit
5) on a lightly floured surface, roll and stretch one piece of dough into a nine inch circle
6) transfer to one side of a baking sheet and spread one quarter of the chopped finely vegetables with cheese chopped finely over half of the dough, leaving a 1 inch border.
7) Fold the other half of the dough over the filling and press edges together and crimp decoratively
8) with a small knife, cut several slits in each top and repeat process with remaining calzones
9) bake 35 mins. to 40 mins. or until golden brown and Crispy.
10) let cool on rack 5 minutes before serving.
*** chop all ingredients finely and one can add Proscuitto di Parma, Asparagus, Spinach, Broccoli, garlic, vegetables of choice and / or tomato in addition to cheeses or charcuterie of choice.
Enjoy with a lovely Italian Salad of Arugula & Raddichio with vinaigrette, and Prosecco or a Red from Piemonte.
Ciao,
Enjoy.
Margaux Cintrano.
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