Calzones by Candlelight

 

 

 

 

In the digital world that we live in, it’s always a little bit odd when you don’t have any electricity. Especially the unplanned, multi day kind on the back of a wind storm. That’s where I ended up, twiddling my thumbs (the physical kind), wondering what to do with myself. Barbecuing pizza is my go to recipe, but I’ve always been a bit reluctant to try calzones. This time, armed with with candles and the whole evening to spare, I cranked up my charcoal barbecue for some good clean fun.

 

 

The dough (makes 3 medium pizzas):

1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees)
1 envelope instant yeast
1 1/4 cups water; at room temperature
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
7.5 ounces of fine semolina flour (1 1/2 cups) + 14.5 ounces of bread flour (2 1/2 cups), OR 22 ounces bread flour (4 cups)
1 1/2 teaspoons of salt

Instructions for preparing the pizza dough are located here: BBQ Pizza – Revisted and Perfected

 

Fillings/toppings:

 

Pizza sauce (made or store bought)
Cheese
A variety of pizza toppings: pepperoni, peppers, mushrooms, pineapple, etc

 

You’ll also need:

 

A barbecue or grill with a lid
A pizza stone
Pizza peel – or a plate with some skill and/or luck

 

After the pizza dough has risen… Here are your 8 painless steps to a fantastic and simple barbecued calzone:

 

1. Preheat your grill or barbecue. Make sure your pizza stone is placed inside the barbecue before it warms up, otherwise you risk the stone cracking.

 

2. A calzone is a lot denser than a pizza, and you’ll need to be careful not to burn your calzone. You’ll want an even temperature of approx 475 to 500 degrees.

 

3. Prepare the calzone. Roll out your dough to a pizza like size and shape. On the pizza peel, spread out some cornmeal, then pop your soon to be calzone onto the pizza peel.

 

Put your ingredients (cheese, vegetables, meat, etc) on one side. Leave an inch around the outside, just as you would with a regular pizza. Close the lid, seal, and fold the seam over. This stops juices from the calzone running out. Don’t pierce the calzone, just leave it the way it is.

 

4. Warm your pizza sauce in a pot, infuse with olive oil, garlic, etc to give it more punch.

 

5. Slide the calzone onto the pizza stone and close the lid. Cook for about 6 minutes, and peak regularly, using a spatula to check the underside to make sure it’s not burning.

 

6. At about 6 minutes, or if you see any traces of burning, flip the calzone and cook for another 6 or so minutes.

 

7. Remove the calzone from the barbecue, and spread hot pizza sauce on top in excessive quantities.

 

8. Enjoy.

 

David B. October 15th, 2013

Posted In: BBQ Maintenance