Help with Calzones

[Constance]

I have some ready made pizza dough in the fridge, and 4 leftover grilled burgers that are a little on the dry side. I thought I'd saute green peppers, an onion and some garlic, then add the crumbled up burger, mushrooms, black olives, tomato sauce, and a bit of oregano and let simmer. When I spoon the filling onto the dough, I'll top it with cheese before I fold over the crust. I have mozzerella and feta...don't know if I need both.
I've never made calzones before, so I'd appreciate any suggestions. Should I brush the dough with olive oil before I add the filling? Should I brush the outer crust with eggs or something, so it will brown nicely?
Any wisdom you all can impart would be appreciated.

 

[urmaniac13]

Constance, homemade calzoni are often leftover solutions also here, and you can just throw in whatever you fancy inside... I would just use mozzarella for cheese, I never tried feta for any kind of pizza recipe... but if the feta is pushing towards the expiration date and you can't think of any other usage, why not... may be a nice surprise!!
Calzoni here usually don't have any "glossy coating", so I wouldn't worry about brushing the surface with egg etc. either. Maybe onion, bell peppers, garlic, mushroom needs a pre-sautè (I assume hamburgers are already cooked?), as it shouldn't take very long for the pizza dough to get baked completely.
Mmm, mmm... Calzone sounds good just now... I hope you enjoy them!!

 

[GB]

usually I do not put anything on the dough, but every once in a while I will put a little olive oil and then sprinkle some sesame seeds on it.

 

[pdswife]

I'm a garlic lover so often sprinkle my dough with garlic powder.

 

[Andy M.]

You can brush the edges of the dough with egg wash to aid in sealing. I also brush some egg wash on the top of the calzone before baking since I have it handy and I like the shine it gives. It's absolutely not necessary.

I have a ball of frozen pizza dough in the fridge, maybe I'll make a calzone. Thanks for the idea!

 

[vyapti]

I've made pizza with feta, but with an herb sauce and chicken and kalamata olives. It was very good, but feta can overpower other ingredients.

 

[mish]

Connie, for the pizza dough, I use the tines of a fork on the dough (after filling), or you can brush/drizzle the top with a little/dab of melted butter. You can make two (or several) large calzones, instead of little ones, if you prefer. One of the fillings I like is ricotta mixed with an egg, proscuitto, basil, any herbs of choice, sliced black olives, a little tomato sauce spread on the dough. A good marinara makes a nice dipping sauce as an alternative. I seal the edges with tines of a fork and place them on a baking sheet at about 350, till they're golden. Spraying the 'zones' with an olive oil cooking spray is another option. Feta and mozzarella sound good, but I wouldn't use them together, as they each have a unique taste/flavor. Your fillings sound delish. Let us know how it turns out.

 

[Constance]

The calzone turned out great! DH was a little skeptical at first, especially when he saw the pizza crust was dated 4-11, but it was just a little soggy, and when I sprinkled it with a bit of flour, it was just fine.
I rolled the crust into a rectangle on a sprayed baking sheet, (my new Pampered Chef roller thingy came in really handy), and after filling, folded it over making one long calzone. I didn't brush it with anything, but it browned nicely anyway, and Kim loved it.
I'm imagining all sorts of fillings to use for these.
Thank you all for your help!