When is the last time you converted your Bull BBQ into an oven? It can be executed in three simple steps. First place Bull’s 15-inch pizza stone directly grill grates. Next, ignite the grill’s powerful BTU’s by setting the dials to the desired temperature. Finally, close the lid to preheat, and you’re successfully on your way to baking in your Bull outdoor grill!
I’m taking some of my favorite Fall ingredients and tucking them inside pizza dough to create a crunchy, mouth watering calzone. Savory or sweet, I guarantee my calzone recipe will be your go-to portable treat this holiday season.
This week on the menu, homemade Italian calzone – crispy, homemade pizza dough folded in half and stuffed with roasted assorted mushrooms, crispy Italian sausage, sautéed spinach, and a blend of assorted cheeses. Brushed with an egg wash before baked in the bbq, these golden brown, crunchy pizza pockets are a flavor bomb waiting to be devoured and will have you coming back for seconds!!
Chef’s Notes:
- Use Bull’s pizzaque pizza peel to place and lift the calzone on and off the pizza stone.
- As another option for baking the calzone, check out Bull’s PizzaQue Pizza Stone Grill. It has a stainless steel set base with a built-in thermometer, which helps create that crisp, smoky, brick oven-style pizza or calzone.
- To save on time, visit your local grocery store for fresh, premade pizza dough. Just follow the steps-allowing the dough to rise, forming into individual balls and allowing them to rest – and you’re on the way to calzone heaven!
- When the dough is ready, it will pass the windowpane test. Tear a small piece of dough off from the ball and form/stretch into a small square. If the dough stretches thin enough to see through it. It is ready. If the dough tears apart, knead more until you pass the test!
Savory “Italian Style” Calzone
Prep time: 90 mins Cook time: 40 mins Total time: 2 hours 10 mins Serves: 4
Ingredients
Dough
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup warm water (100 degrees F)
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 package (1/4 ounce) rapid-rising dry yeast
- Flour for dusting
Calzone
- 1 calzone dough recipe, listed above, divided into 4 smaller balls
- 1 lb. pork Italian sweet sausage, cooked, drained on paper towel
- 4 cups baby spinach, washed, and spun completely dry
- 12 ounces mixed mushrooms (chanterelles cremini, shiitake) cleaned and roughly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled, minced
- 1/4 cup olive oil top quality
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1/4 cup ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 1/2 cups grated fontina cheese
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper
- Semolina, for pizza peel
- Egg wash
Instructions
- Making the dough: Bloom the yeast by mixing it with the warm water and sugar in a kitchen aid mixer bowl. Make sure all the ingredients are dissolved. After 3 minutes, foam will appear appear on the surface.
- Rising the dough: Once the dough passes the windowpane test, roll and form the dough into a large ball. Coat a bowl with oil. Add the ball of dough to the bowl, coating all sides of the ball. Cover the ball with a towel and set on the kitchen counter for 90 minutes, allowing it to double in size. Once ready, transfer dough onto surface and lightly knead and divide into 4 smaller balls. Lightly flour, cover with towel and allow the individual balls of dough to relax/rest.
3. Preheating the grill: Follow the 3 steps above to preheat the grill. Turn the two outside burners onto medium heat and the two inside burners onto low heat with the lid closed to preheat to 425 degrees F.
4. To sauté the spinach & mushrooms: In a large, hot skillet, add the sausage. Allow the fat to render off into the pan as the sausage cooks. Using the end of a whisk, punch down onto the bulk sausage, to break it down. The sausage is done once golden brown, around 10 minutes cooking. Using a slotted spoon, remove the cooked sausage from the pan, leaving the oil in the pan. Next, add the olive oil and butter to the rendered fat from the sausage in the pan. Place back into medium-high heat. Once the butter is melted, add the mushrooms and cook for about 6-8 minutes, til golden brown. Toss in 4 cloves of minced garlic and season with salt and pepper. Sauté for 1 minute. Fold in the spinach and cooked sausage, and sauté for on minute, once the spinach starts to wilt. Be careful not to overcook. Transfer ingredients onto a sheet pan. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more salt and pepper if needed.
5. Cheese mixture: In an extra bowl, add the three different cheeses and fresh thyme leaves. Using a spatula, fold the cheese until completely incorporated. Once the sausage/mushroom/spinach mix has completely cooled down, add to the blended cheese and mix until all the ingredients are incorporated. Taste and add salt and pepper, as needed.
6. Making the calzone: Dust the counter surface with flour. Using Bull’s rolling pin, roll the individual balls of dough into 4 (10-inch) circles.
Evenly scoop the sausage, spinach, mushroom, cheese mixture onto one side of the dough, of all four calzone. Leave a 1-inch plain border.
Using the Bull basting brush, brush the outer plain edges with the egg wash. This will form and seal the calzone dough together. Carefully fold the dough over, covering the ingredients. Using your fingers, roll up the edges, closing the side tightly together to prevent any leaks. Using a sharp knife, create three slashes on the top of the calzone. Brush the top with the egg wash.
7. To bake: Sprinkle Bull’s pizzaue pizza peel with some semolina. Carefully transfer, one at a time, all four calzone onto the preheated pizza stone. Close the lid immediately. Bake for a total of 15-20 minutes, until golden brown.
8. To serve: Allow the calzone to rest 5 minutes prior to serving, allowing the inside mixture to set. Cut in half, and devour!
