Italian Cold Cut Calzone

Italian Cold Cut Calzone

I have very happy – actually blissfully happy memories surrounding Italian Cold Cut Calzone. The first time I had this, it was made by my husband’s Aunt Dottie.  Aunt Dottie used only the best meats and cheeses and she brushed her calzone with a garlic wash. It was so, so good. She used to make one for Jim and I at Christmas time and we would put it in the freezer until New Year’s Day. Then we would eat it while taking down the Christmas tree.  I looked forward to it every year. Unfortunately, Aunt Dottie passed away many years ago, but I still think of her every time I make an Italian Cold Cut Calzone.

My sister-in-law Rose took over making the calzones before Jim and I learned how to make them. Now Jim has taught Abby how to make them. Watching Jim and Abby working together in the kitchen, each making their own calzone, Abby’s with tomatoes, Jim’s without, is one of my greatest joys in life. And then eating their calzones is another great joy! An Italian Calzone has yet to make it more than 3 days in my house. My kids will even eat it for breakfast if we have it.

We use grocery store frozen pizza dough – about 18.5 oz package. We make the calzone as large as we can, so we use a 17 x 11 cookie sheet, we buy quality cold cuts and we never make just one.

I love that this calzone can be reheated so easily and can even be frozen, so it is a great “Cooking Around the Carpool” recipe. Make it when you can, eat it when you want.

Ingredients

1   18.5 oz. frozen pizza dough – let this thaw on the counter or in the refrigerator.  It takes about 6 hours on the counter, a little more in the refrigerator.  I like to put mine on the counter because it is easier to work with when it is room temperature.

½ lb. imported mortadella

¼ lb.  imported hot ham

¼ lb.  imported salami

¼ - ½ lb. provolone cheese

¼ cup of shredded mozzarella cheese

2 medium tomatoes – sliced thin

Dried Basil

Dried Oregano

Sprinkle Parmesan cheese

Sesame seeds

Cornmeal

1 egg for an “egg wash”

Preheat the oven to 350.

1. Using room temperature pizza dough and a surface with flour on it, stretch out the dough so it is approximately 17x11.

2. Place the mortadella slices all over the dough – right up to the very edges.

3. Place the hot ham slices on top of the mortadella, then the tomatoes, then provolone cheese, then the salami – see pics.

4. Sprinkle on the mozzeralla cheese, the parmesan cheese, and a little dried oregano and basil.

5. Fold the sides into the middle and press together so you don’t have an open seam and sprinkle on the cornmeal.

6. Turn the calzone over and place on a floured 17x11 cookie sheet. Brush with an egg wash. (Beat an egg and add a little water to the egg and you have a wash.)

7. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and make a few cuts in the dough to let out the steam while it is cooking.

8. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until brown on the top.

9. Let cool for at least 5 minutes before cutting so all the good stuff in the calzone doesn’t run out when you cut it.