Spinach Ricotta Calzones

Why this recipe works What’s not to love about calzones, with their cheesy filling encased in a crisp and chewy crust? Nothing, if this is always the reality. Unfortunately, bad calzones, with wet fillings and bready crusts, are found at most pizzerias. In our experience, the only calzone worth eating is one made at home. To develop our version, we started with the dough. Pizzerias use their pizza dough for the crust, but when we tried using the dough for our Thin-Crust Pizza, we got bloated, misshapen calzones with unacceptable air bubbles. Our Skillet Pizza dough is less hydrated and was a much better choice; it was easy to shape around the filling, and it baked up chewy and crisp. For the flavorful filling, we used a base of spinach and creamy ricotta to which we added an egg yolk to thicken the mixture, a bit of oil for richness, and two more cheeses, easy-melting mozzarella and nutty-tasting Parmesan. We spread the filling onto the bottom halves of two rolled-out pizza dough rounds and then brushed egg wash over the edges before folding the top halves over and sealing the dough so they’d stay closed as they baked. Cutting vents in the tops allowed excess moisture in the filling to escape during baking so the crust didn’t become soggy. After the calzones baked for just 15 minutes, we let them cool briefly on a wire rack to keep the bottoms crisp. Serve the calzones with your favorite marinara sauce.

SERVES: 4

RESTING TIME: 2 minutes

RISING TIME: 1½ to 2 hours

BAKING TIME: 15 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 2¾ to 3¼ hours, plus 10 minutes cooling time

KEY EQUIPMENT: rolling pin, pastry brush, rimmed baking sheet

INGREDIENTS:

FOR THE DOUGH

• 2 cups (11 ounces) plus 2 tablespoons bread flour
• 1⅛ teaspoons instant or rapid-rise yeast
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• ¾ cup (6 ounces) ice water

FOR THE FILLING

• 10 ounces frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
• 8 ounces (1 cup) whole-milk ricotta cheese
• 4 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded (1 cup)
• 1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (½ cup)
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large egg yolk
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1½ teaspoons minced fresh oregano
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon water and pinch salt

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. In a food processor, pulse together flour, yeast, and salt until combined, about 5 pulses. With the processor running, add oil, followed by ice water, and process until a rough ball forms, for 30 to 40 seconds. Let the dough rest for 2 minutes, then process for an additional 30 seconds.
2. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured counter and knead it by hand to form a smooth, round ball, for about 30 seconds. Place the dough seam side down in a lightly greased large bowl or container, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let it rise until doubled in size, for 1½ to 2 hours. If you prefer, you can refrigerate the dough for at least 8 hours or up to 16 hours, but make sure to let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before shaping it in step 4.
3. For the filling, adjust the oven rack to the lower-middle position and preheat the oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut two 9-inch square pieces of parchment paper. In a bowl, combine spinach, ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, oil, egg yolk, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper flakes.
4. Press down on the dough to deflate it. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured counter, divide it in half, and cover one piece loosely with greased plastic wrap. Press and roll the other piece of dough into a 9-inch round of even thickness. Transfer it to a parchment square and reshape it as needed. Repeat this step with the remaining piece of dough.
5. Spread half of the spinach filling evenly over half of each dough round, leaving a 1-inch border at the edge.
6. Brush the edges with the egg mixture. Fold the other half of the dough over the filling, leaving a ½-inch border of the bottom half uncovered.
7. Press the edges of the dough together, ensuring there are no air pockets in the calzones. Starting at one end of the calzone, place your index finger diagonally across the edge and pull the bottom layer of dough over the tip of your finger, pressing to seal.
8. Using a sharp knife or a single-edge razor blade, cut 5 steam vents, each about 1½ inches long, in the top of the calzones. Brush the tops with the remaining egg mixture. Transfer the calzones (still on parchment) to a rimmed baking sheet, trimming the parchment as needed to fit. Bake until golden brown, for about 15 minutes, rotating the sheet halfway through baking. Transfer the calzones to a wire rack and discard the parchment. Let them cool for 10 minutes before serving.

VARIATION:

THREE-MEAT CALZONES 

• Omit spinach, oregano, salt, and pepper flakes from filling. Toss 4 ounces sliced salami, 4 ounces sliced capicola, and 2 ounces sliced pepperoni, all quartered, together in bowl. Working in 3 batches, microwave meats between triple layers of paper towels on plate for 30 seconds to render some fat; use fresh paper towels for each batch. Let meats cool, then add to ricotta mixture.