Cowboy Calzones minus the Cowboy

The first time I saw the Cowboy Calzone recipe I thought about a pizza version. Today I gave it a go. It's simple and pretty tasty. So here's my Cowboy Calzone minus the Cowboy.

You're going to start with the PW's pizza crust recipe. My photos for today are less step-by-step because it's hard to use a hand mixer, pour, and take photos with just two hands. Is that enough of an excuse to buy a stand mixer? I didn't think so, but it was worth a shot.

Pizza Crust
1 teaspoon or 1/2 packet active dry yeast
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt (or be a rebel like me...you'll see)
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

Inside:
Sauce of your liking
Cheese
Pepperoni
(Or whatever the heck you'd like inside)

Pour 1 1/2 cups warm water into a bowl. Sprinkle the yeast over the water. Don't stir it yet.


(Note: I have a glass measuring cup, so I just added the yeast there. It saved washing another dish. You're welcome.) Combine the flour and salt in a mixing bowl.






Sooo...I didn't have kosher salt. I used the hand grinder we had, but then my hand got tired. So I used the pink salt that I think is sea salt, but I really have no clue because it's in a glass jar without a label. To be safe, I topped off the teaspoon with regular salt. I wanted to play it safe. Feel free to use just one kind of salt. I have issues, let's just accept it and move on.

With an electric mixer (or hand-mixer if you're named Amy) on low speed, drizzle in the olive oil until just incorporated.


This is as close to an action shot as you'll get with a simultaneous mixing/pouring step while using a hand mixer.

Return to your yeast/water mixture. You can stir it gently now. Add it into the flour/oil mixture; mix until the dough forms a ball. (I did the majority of this by hand since the dough gets caught up in the mixer pretty easily.) Drizzle a little olive oil into a clean bowl. Toss the ball of dough in the bowl and turn over to coat in oil. Cover the bowl with a moist kitchen towel and set in a warm place for 1 to 2 hours, or cover with plastic wrap and store in the fridge for up to 2 days.


(After 75 minutes)

Okay, now we're switching to the Cowboy Calzone recipe...sort of. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Divide the pizza dough into 8 equal-size balls.



With a rolling pin on a floured surface, roll each ball into a 6-inch circle. (Huh. I didn't read the 6-inch part until just now. Oh well.) Place the sauce, cheese, and pepperoni on the middle of each circle.





Fold half the circle over the other half, gently press to slightly spread and flatten the filling inside. Press a fork along the edge to seal closed, then transfer the calzone to a greased baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling. Brush the calzones with olive oil.



Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until golden brown.


Rootbeer + calzone = delicious