Ingredients
1 recipe bread dough:
4 2/3 cups sifted flour
2 1/4 tablespoons lard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 1/4 yeast packet
1 1/8 cups warm water
For calzone stuffing
1/4 cup lard
1/2 pound mozzarella cheese, diced
1/4 pound sliced prosciutto, cut into slivers
1/8 pound Italian salami, cut into slivers
1/8 teaspoon pepper
For topping
2 cups tomato sauce*
2 tablespoons grated Roman cheese
*Recipe for Tomato Sauce
3 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 stalk celery, finely chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 1/4 teaspoons parsley, minced
2 cloves garlic
1 large can Italian tomatoes
1 medium can tomato puree
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon basil leaf, minced
3/4 teaspoon oregano
1 bay leaf
Yield: 4
Directions
To make dough
Place flour on pastry board, add lard, salt, pepper, yeast and warm water and work well until smooth.
Place in large pan, cover and let rise in warm place 2 hours, or until double in bulk.
Place on floured board and knead it.
Divide into 2 pieces and stretch each piece on bottom of greased 12-inch pie plate. (N.B. Store-bought dough may also be used.)
To make tomato sauce
Place oil, celery, onion, parsley and garlic in saucepan and fry lightly.
Add tomatoes and tomato puree, salt and pepper and simmer gently for about 40 minutes.
Add the basil, oregano and bay leaf.
Cook for 8 minutes.
Makes sufficient sauce for 1 pound of spaghetti or macaroni.
To make Calzone
Cut dough into 4 portions and press and roll each part until you get 4 large disks about 1/4 inch thick.
Coat each disk with lard and place on each a quarter of the mozzarella, prosciutto, salami, salt and pepper.
Fold each disk in half, pressing around the edges and making sure that the stuffing is well closed in.
Coat each calzone with more lard and place on pie plat in hot oven for about 18 to 22 minutes.
Remove, pour sauce over all, sprinkle with grated cheese and serve.
Notes
The recipe in this entry was adapted from one in "The Talisman Italian Cook Book" by Ada Boni, translated and augmented by Matilde Pei. The original cook book, an Italian classic, was published in 1929 in Italy. The translation was published in 1950.... Photo: Mary Melfi. |
