Sopressata and Genoa Salami Calzones {Possibly the Best Calzone Ever!} and an Emeril’s Kicked-Up Sandwiches Cookbook Giveaway! #SeriousSandwich
I was chosen along with 20 other bloggers to participate in a cook-along of Emeril’s soon to be published cookbook, Kicked-Up Sandwiches. Over the next 3 weeks, we will each cook up some delicious looking sandwiches of our choice (at least twice a week). We were given the okay to cook and discuss whatever dishes we want, but only a few recipes were given the okay to publish in their entirety. Learn more about the new cookbook on the information page, and catch up with the other bloggers from the Morrow Cookbook authors on their blog, The Secret Ingredient Blog.
I typically don’t make too many calzones at home, but the sound of this one really made my tastebuds start watering. Nevermind the delicious sounding semolina pizza dough, it had smoked mozzarella and ricotta cheeses. At first glance, I didn’t realize the recipe called for smoked mozzarella, and I noticed it in the grocery store a few days later. I thought to myself “what is smoked mozz, and why would I want to go there?” If you have never seen smoked mozzarella (you’ll find it with the specialty cheeses near the deli), it looks light brown on the outside – a little less than appetizing. Anyways, I moved on because I had regular fresh mozzarella at home.
Mise en Place
Fast forward a couple of days as I am reading the recipe through, I notice it calls for smoked mozzarella! I had to go back and get it because I figured it would give way to a defining flavor that I just had to try in this calzone. And…it’s Emeril. I couldn’t go wrong!
I was right. The smoked cheese with the creaminess of the warm ricotta melded together for a combination I had not tried before. The good thing about this recipe is that you can mix up the cheese, meats and/or veggies for any flavor combinations that you want. If you are making it for the first time, I would say give the smoked cheese a try. Kick it up a notch! Pretty sure you’ll like it as much as we did.
GIVEAWAY RULES Winner Chosen!
Guess what?
I’m also hosting a giveaway! The kind folks at Morrow Cookbooks are offering up a cookbook to a lucky reader! How do you enter to win?
Each one counts as one entry:
- Leave a comment below telling me what your favorite type of sandwich is.
- Tweet this giveaway, then leave another comment saying you did.
- Share this post on Facebook or Twitter, then let me know you did.
- Follow me on Facebook.
(Excerpt From Emeril's Kicked-Up Sandwiches) I love this calzone with a variety of salami, but this is a recipe where you can safely go in many directions. Change up the cheese, use roasted red peppers or sautéed mushrooms instead of the meat, add Roasted Garlic (page 79) . . . I could go on and on. And you don’t have to eat them right out of the oven, either—they travel well, so pack your picnic basket!
Ingredients
- 1 recipe Semolina Pizza Dough (page 298)
- 1 cup Quick Tomato Sauce for Calzones (recipe follows) or your favorite jarred pizza/pasta sauce
- 1 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
- 8 ounces mixed sopressata, hot sopressata, Genoa salami, and/or pepperoni, chopped
- 1 cup ricotta cheese, drained
- 8 ounces smoked mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- ¼ cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- Flour or cornmeal, for dusting the pizza peel
- 1 3/4 c ups
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- One 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, drained and pureed
- 1 sprig fresh thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Directions
- 1. Place a pizza stone in the bottom third of the oven and preheat the oven to 500°F. (Alternatively, place an upside-down rimmed baking sheet on the rack in your oven.)
- 2. Halve one of the pieces of dough and roll it out on a lightly floured work surface to form two 8-inch rounds. Spread ¼ cup of the tomato sauce over the bottom half of each round, leaving a 1-inch border. Sprinkle ¼ cup of the basil and one-quarter of the cured meats evenly over each portion of sauce. Sprinkle one-quarter of the ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, and crushed red pepper over each portion of meat. Gently fold the top half of the dough over the filling, rolling and pressing the edges together with your fingertips to seal them, and crimping as you go along. Make 2 more calzones with the remaining ingredients.
- 3. Depending on the size of your oven, you may be able to bake only 2 calzones at a time. Cut several small slits in the top of each calzone to allow air to escape while baking, and transfer the calzones to a pizza peel that has been lightly dusted with flour or cornmeal (to facilitate moving the dough). Tilt the pizza peel to slide the calzones onto the preheated baking stone. Bake for 16 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the dough is cooked through. Remove the calzones from the oven with the pizza peel or a spatula, and serve immediately or at room temperature.
- Heat the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, and cook for 3 minutes, until soft. Add the tomatoes, thyme sprig, salt, and pepper, and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the extra-virgin olive oil, discard the thyme sprig, and set aside until ready to use.
*Recipe courtesy of Morrow Cookbooks
fave sandwich: BLT
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Smoked Mozz adds a whole different flavor, doesn’t it. It’s actually one of my fave cheeses for baked pasta!
My favorite sandwich is a BLT with Avocado – basic and simple, but I love it!
I love a veggie sandwich with spicy mustard
My fav sandwich is a good hot Pastrami sandwich with lots of yellow mustard.
I tweeted your wonderful giveaway: https://twitter.com/CrockPotLadies/status/251357451599880192
I shared this on Facebook – thanks for the chance!
And I am already following you on Facebook
My favorite type sandwich is chicken club sandwich.
I tweeted.
I Facebook shared.
I already like you on Facebook.
Thanks for sharing your smoked mozzarella encounter. I generally don’t like smoked meats but might be open to trying this since you say it blends nicely. Loved that mise en place photo, too.
Thanks!
Oh this looks goooooood
Can’t wait to make this recipe!
I had never had smoked mozzarella before making this either. What a difference it makes!