Lasagne alla Bolognese: The original version of lasagna from medieval times consisted of large rectangular layers of fresh pasta separated by a simple mixture of cheese and spices. During the Renaissance, fish and shrimp were added-a delicious spin that is still common in the Veneto. Today, variations abound. In Bologna, spinach flavors and tints the noodles, which are layered with ragu alla bolognese and bechamel.

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS
1 carrot
1 small onion
1 celery rib
2 oz pancetta or bacon
3 1/2 tbl unsalted butter
1/3 ground beef
1/3 ground pork
1/4 pound prosciutto crudo
1 tbl double concentrate tomato paste
full-bodied red wine
beef broth
salt
black peppercorns
nutmeg
1 1/2 cups plus 1/2 cup flour
1 egg
1 small bunch spinach
extra-virgin olive oil
4 tbl plus 1 1/2 tbl butter
2 1/2 cups milk
Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

INSTRUCTIONS
Ragu:
In a large saucepan, combine 1 minced small carrot, 1/2 minced small onion, 1/2 minced celery rib, 2 ounces chopped pancetta and 3 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter. Heat over medium heat.

Stirring, lightly brown vegetables until golden in color.

Add 1/3 pound ground beef, 1/3 pound ground pork and 1/4 pound chopped prosciutto. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes more.

Stir in 1 tablespoon tomato paste.

Add 2/3 cup broth and 1/3 cup red wine; bring to a bare simmer, partially cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes. Season to taste with salt, pepper and nutmeg.

Spinach Pasta:
Boil and finely mince 1 small bunch spinach. Mound 1 1/2 cups flour in the center of a large wooden cutting board. Make a well in the middle of the flour and add 1 egg, 1 tablespoon oil and a pinch salt. Add spinach.

Using a fork, lightly beat together spinach and egg. Gradually incorporate flour, starting with the inner rim of the well.

When dough becomes too stiff to work with a fork, knead with hands until dough is no longer sticky (if dough is sticky, add more flour in tablespoon increments).

Knead dough until elastic, a few minutes more, dusting board with flour as needed. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Flatten dough so that it will fit through the rollers of a hand-cranked pasta machine. Set rollers to widest setting and pass dough through rollers, folding and turning pasta with each pass, 3 or 4 times. Cut into 2 pieces and, gradually decreasing pasta machine settings, roll pasta through machine (do not turn or fold) until it is about l millimeter thick and the width of the pasta machine.

Cut dough into large rectangles, the width of the pasta roller, and about 7 inches long.

Bechamel:
In a medium saucepan, heat 4 tablespoons butter and 1/2 cup flour over medium heat, stirring, until mixture is nicely colored.

In a slow and steady stream, add 2 1/2 cups milk, whisking continuously.

Simmer, stirring, until bechamel thickens, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Remove from the heat and add 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons butter; stir to combine. If the bechamel is not to be used immediately, cover with plastic wrap and set aside.

Lasagna:
Heat oven to 400°. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to boil. Add lasagna sheets and cook until they float to the top of the surface, about 15 seconds.

Drain, and immediately plunge into a bowl of ice water. Drain again, and dry between two clean kitchen towels.

Cover an 11″ x 7″ x 2″ rectangular baking dish (or similar size oval gratin dish; slightly smaller is fine) with an initial layer of lasagna, letting the pasta hong over the sides of the dish if necessary.

Cover with a layer of ragu, bechamel and grated Parmigiano-Reggiono cheese. Cover with another layer of pasta, fitting snug inside the dish, and continue, making a total of 4 layers with enough bechamel, ragu and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese leftover for the top.

To finish, fold any overflowing pasta over the dish. Top with remaining bechamel, ragu and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

With its rich, savory filling and sweet pastry, this pizza rustica uses the best of local ingredients: ricotta, made from rich cow’s milk; spicy salami, which every farmer prepares himself; and basil, a staple of the family garden.

Enjoy other versions.

From Food & Wine 1999:

INGREDIENTS
2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
FILLING:
½ lb. ricotta cheese
½ lb. mozzarella cheese, grated (about 2 cups)
⅓ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
5 ounces spicy salami, cut into 1/3-inch dice
3 large egg yolks
½ cup coarsely chopped basil
½ teaspoon salt
1 large egg white, beaten with 1 teaspoon water, for glazing

INSTRUCTIONS
1. MAKE THE DOUGH: Pour the flour onto a work surface and make a well in the center. Add the sugar, eggs, egg yolks and oil to the well and blend together with a fork. Gradually incorporate the flour into the well until a dough forms. Gently knead the dough until smooth, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight.

2. Roll out two-thirds of the dough between 2 sheets of parchment or wax paper to a 14-inch round about 1/8 inch thick. Transfer the pastry to a 9-inch springform pan; it should reach about two-thirds of the way up the side of the pan. Roll out the remaining third of the dough between 2 sheets of parchment to a 9-inch round about 1/8 inch thick. Refrigerate the dough until chilled.

3. MAKE THE FILLING: Preheat the oven to 350°. In a bowl, combine the ricotta, mozzarella, Parmigiano-Reggiano, salami and egg yolks. Stir in the basil and salt. Spread the filling evenly in the pastry-lined pan. Brush the rim of the dough with some of the egg glaze and set the dough round on top; press the edge down firmly to seal and brush the top evenly with more egg glaze.

4. Set the springform pan on a baking sheet and bake in the center of the oven for about 1 hour, or until the crust is golden. Remove from the oven and let cool on a rack for 15 minutes.

5. Remove the side of the pan and let the pizza cool completely. Using a metal spatula, carefully transfer the pizza to a plate. Cut into wedges and serve warm or at room temperature.

MAKE AHEAD The baked pizza can be refrigerated overnight. Rewarm in a 350° oven for about 30 minutes before cutting into wedges and serving.

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Mario Batali:

2-½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
9 to 10 tablespoons water (ie, enough water to bring dough together)
1 egg plus 1 egg
½ lb. Prosciutto, cut into 1/4-inch dice
½ lb. Prosciutto Cotto, cut into 1/4-inch dice or smoked ham
½ lb. fresh mozzarella, cut into 1/4-inch dice
½ lb. fresh Ricotta
½ cup sundried tomatoes, drained of oil and julienned
¼ cup grated Pecorino or romano
3 eggs
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Preheat oven to 375 F and place baking stone in center.

For Pizza Dough:

In a large mixing bowl, place flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and olive oil. Stir together with whisk until texture is like that of coarse meal. Add egg and water and mix well and forcefully with hands. Make sure dough sticks together. If too dry, add more water. Place on to floured work surface and knead like bread for 5 minutes. Cover and let rest 10 minute.

For Filling:

Place all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix well with hands.

TO ASSEMBLE:

Cut 1/4 dough off and set aside. Force fingers of both hands on top of larger piece on a floured surface and press out into a circle. Flip over and continue pressing. Roll out to a 12 to 14-inch circle and place on a pizza board, which is lightly dusted with semolina. Spread filling in center to within 3 inches of edge. Roll remaining dough into a thinner piece 10-inches in diameter and place over filling. Brush outer edge and top of center disk with cool water and fold outer edges inwards to meet center piece and cover the perimeter. Beat remaining egg and brush entire top. Score top with sharp knife in 5 places. Slide on to stone in oven and bake for 30 minutes or so, until crust is dark golden brown. Remove and let rest 5 minutes before serving.

There’s enough filling for 2 pizzas.

Filling for 1 pie:
1/2 lb ricotta
1/2 lb mozzarella, grated
1/3 c grated Parmigiano
5 oz spicy salami, cut into 1/3 inch dice
3 lg egg yolks
1/2 c coarsely chopped basil
1/2 tsp salt.

Combine cheeses meat and eggs together, stir in basil & salt. Substitute meat with anything, may add sun-dried tomatoes.

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From Giada de Laurentiis:

2 tablespoons olive oil
8 ounces hot Italian sausage, casings removed
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 bunches (12-ounce) fresh spinach, stemmed, coarsely chopped (about 12 cups), or 1 (10-ounce) package frozen cut-leaf spinach, thawed and drained
1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta
12 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
⅓ cup plus 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
4 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, coarsely chopped
4 large egg yolks, beaten to blend
Pastry Dough:
3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
¼ cup cold solid vegetable shortening, cut into pieces
1 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs, beaten to blend
2 to 4 tablespoons ice water
1 large egg, beaten to blend

Position the rack on the bottom of the oven, and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a heavy large frying pan over medium heat. Add the sausages and saute until golden brown, breaking the sausage into pieces, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer the mixture to a small bowl and set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in the same frying pan over medium heat. Add the spinach and cook until the spinach wilts and the juices evaporate, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Cool to room temperature. Squeeze the spinach to drain as much liquid as possible.

Into a large bowl, add egg yolks and beat lightly. Stir in the ricotta, mozzarella, and 1/3 cup of Parmesan cheese. Add the sausage, the spinach and prosciutto to the mixture and stir to combine.

Roll out larger piece of dough on a lightly floured work surface to a 17-inch round. Transfer the dough to a 9-inch springform pan. Trim the dough overhang to 1 inch. Spoon the ricotta mixture into the dough-lined pan. Roll out the remaining piece of dough into a 12-inch round. Place the dough over the filling. Pinch the edges of the doughs together to seal, then crimp the dough edges decoratively. Brush the beaten 1 large egg over the entire pastry top. Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan over the top. Bake on the bottom shelf until the crust is golden brown, about 1 hour.

Let stand 15 minutes. Release the pan sides and transfer the pizza to a platter. Cut into wedges and serve.

Pastry Dough:
Blend the flour, the butter, the shortening and salt in a food processor until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Blend in the eggs. With the machine running, add the water 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough forms. Gather the dough into a ball. Divide the dough into 2 pieces, with 1 piece twice as large as the second piece. Flatten the dough pieces into disks. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until the dough is firm enough to roll out, about 30 minutes.

Yield: 2 dough pieces (enough for 1 Pizza Rustica)
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 30 minutes

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From Giada de Laurentiis – 2nd version:

INGREDIENTS
3 cups all purpose flour
1 cup fine cornmeal or polenta
2 teaspoon kosher salt
1.25 (2 1/2) sticks unsalted butter, cubed and chilled
2/3 cup ice water (plus 1 tablespoon if needed)
For The Filling:
1 tablespoon olive oil
12 ounces hot or mild Italian sausage, casings removed
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 (10-ounce) package frozen cut-leaf spinach, thawed and drained
½ teaspoon Calabrian chili paste, optional
1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta
12 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, plus 2 extra tablespoons, for topping
4 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, coarsely chopped
4 large egg yolks, beaten to blend
To Assemble:
1 large egg, beaten to blend

To make the crust, to a large bowl add the flour, cornmeal and salt. Use your hand to combine everything together. Add the cold butter and begin quickly working it with your fingers, smearing it slightly to make small streaks of butter with flour and pieces of butter the size of a chickpeas. Do not over work. Add the ice water and stir to combine. When it is just starting to come together, pour the mixture out onto a clean surface and knead the mixture 4 or 5 times to bring it together. Form a flat disk and wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, position the rack on the bottom of the oven, and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a heavy large frying pan over medium heat. Add the sausage and saute until golden brown, breaking the sausage into pieces, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer the mixture to a small bowl and set aside to cool.

Into a large bowl, add egg yolks and beat lightly. Stir in the ricotta, mozzarella, the Calabrian chili paste if using, and 1/3 cup of Parmesan cheese. Add the sausage, the spinach and prosciutto to the mixture and stir to combine.

Take the refrigerated dough, and cut off about 2/3 of the flat disk for the bottom portion of the crust. Roll the larger piece on a lightly floured work surface to a 17-inch round. Transfer the dough to a 9-inch springform pan. Trim the dough overhang to 1 inch. Spoon the ricotta mixture into the dough-lined pan. Roll out the remaining piece of dough into a 12-inch round. Place the dough over the filling. Pinch the edges of the doughs together to seal, then crimp the dough edges decoratively. Brush the beaten 1 large egg over the entire pastry top. Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan over the top. Bake on the bottom shelf until the crust is golden brown, about 1 hour. Let stand 15 minutes. Release the pan sides and transfer the pizza to a platter. Cut into wedges and serve.

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Sip and Feast

INGREDIENTS
For the dough:
3 ½ cups all-purpose flour or 450 grams
2 sticks cold unsalted butter cubed
⅓ cup milk
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon sugar
For the filling:
7 large eggs
32 ounces ricotta drained overnight
1 cups Genoa salami cut into ¼-inch cubes
1 cups mortadella cut into ¼-inch cubes
1 cup prosciutto cut into ¼-inch cubes
¾ cup provolone cut into ¼-inch cubes
¾ cup mozzarella cut into ¼-inch cubes
¾ cup Pecorino Romano grated
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon black pepper
Remaining ingredients:
1 large egg yolk beaten
2 teaspoons water
1 tablespoon unsalted butter for greasing the pie dish

INSTRUCTIONS
Prep the dough:
Add the flour, salt, and sugar to a bowl of a food processor and pulse to mix the ingredients. Add the cold butter cubes and pulse for about 20-30 seconds or until the mix is well incorporated but still crumbly. You should have small coarse pieces and a grainy mix.

Next, add the eggs and milk and pulse again until the dough is formed. It will be kind of a mess at this point which is fine.

Place the dough onto a work surface and knead for a few seconds only. You just want to bring the dough together so that it forms a stuck-together mass. Cut into two balls. Make one large ball with ⅔’s of the dough and the other smaller one with the remaining dough.

Wrap the balls tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour before using. The dough
can be made 1 day ahead of time.

Make the filling:
In a very large bowl mix the ricotta, eggs, pepper, and nutmeg until smooth.

To the bowl, add the cubed prosciutto, salami, mortadella, mozzarella, provolone, and grated Pecorino. Mix together.

Assemble and bake:
Remove the dough from the fridge about 10-15 minutes before rolling to prevent it from cracking.

Preheat the oven to 375f and set one rack to the lowest level and the second to the middle level. Grease a (9 by 3″) springform pan with butter or lard.

Roll out the larger ball to a circle approximately ¼-inch thick and about 15-inches round. Place the dough into the pan and tuck in the edges letting the excess overhang. Trim off the excess overhanging dough. Any open spots should be patched with the excess dough.
Pour the filling into the pie pan, leaving at least a ¼-inch unfilled. If needed, use a spatula to level out the filling.

Roll out the second smaller ball to a circle a bit larger than the pie pan. Cut into 1-inch wide strips for a lattice.

Place the strips in a lattice formation about a 1-inch apart. Make sure to overlap the dough so that the strips stay down while baking. Alternatively, you can forgo the lattice and just cover the pie with the second circle and cut a slit for venting. The choice is yours.

Use your fingers or a fork to press the strips down into the corners so that they stick. If needed a touch of water can be used to “glue” the strips to the sides. Cut off any excess dough.

Beat the egg yolk with 2 teaspoons of water and brush the top of the pie crust.
Bake for 20 minutes on the lowest rack, then move the pan up to the middle rack and continue baking. Full bake time will be approximately 60-70 minutes. Check the pie at the halfway point and if it looks like it’s getting too brown cover loosely with foil. Once golden brown, remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool.

After baking, let the pie cool for 2 hours before removing the sides of the springform. The pie can be eaten the same day though it’s better to let it sit overnight in the refrigerator. Place the pizzagaina in the oven at 350f for a few minutes the next day. The heat will slightly melt the butter and allow easy removal of the bottom pan plate.

Pizzagaina is best made the day before and eaten the next day after it has settled and cooled. It can be served either cold or warm.

Notes:
– After baking, let the pie cool for 2 hours before removing the springform. The pie should be refrigerated on the bottom plate overnight. Use heat from a gas torch or place it in the oven at 350f for 10 minutes. The heat will allow easy removal of the bottom plate. A final option is to try to dislodge the pie with a spatula.
– Best served cold or at room temperature. Traditionally the dish is served for Easter breakfast or brunch.
– All different meats can be used. Soppressata, capocollo, ham, pepperoni, or even cubed turkey all work great.
– Cheeses like fontina, scamorza, caciocavallo, and smoked mozzarella all work well.
– Leftovers can be saved for up 4 days in the refrigerator.

Known as fùgassa co formaggio to the Ligurians, focaccia di Recco tastes like bliss. This is a combo of 2 recipes. La Cucina does not include prosciutto.

Serves 4

lacucinaitaliana.com

INGREDIENTS
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil water
8oz – 1 pound taleggio, cubed
1/3 pound Prosciutto Cotto, thinly sliced

INSTRUCTIONS
Make the dough: Place the flour and salt in a food processor. With the motor running, add 2 tablespoons olive oil and 5oz water to create a soft dough. Process 45 seconds. Turn out onto a lightly oiled bowl, shape into a ball, cover, and let rest 40 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 520-550. Oil a 14-inch baking sheet with low sides (or cover a round baking sheet with baking parchment). Roll out half of the dough into a circle about 16 inches in diameter. Line the pan with it, then top with the cheese and prosciutto. Roll the second piece of dough and top the focaccia with it. Trim excess dough, tear four small holes in the top to allow excess air to escape, and brush with olive oil. Bake until lightly golden but not crisp (around 12 minutes). Serve hot or warm in wedges.

So many variations – take your pick.

Double-Crusted Onion Calzone: Scalcione di Cipolla

Recipe copyright Mario Batali, 2002. All rights reserved.
Dough:
1/4 teaspoon dried yeast
1/4 cup warm water (about 100 degrees F), plus 1 cup warm water
4 cups flour, plus more for rolling out dough
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
Filling:
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the pan and drizzling the crust
2 pounds leeks, very thinly sliced
3 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon sugar
6 anchovy fillets, rinsed, drained, and chopped
1/2 cup pitted black olives, chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
1/2 cup canned tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup golden raisins, soaked in hot water to plump
1 teaspoon sugar

Sprinkle the dried yeast over 1/4 cup warm water in a small bowl. When it “blooms”, add remaining water.

In a larger bowl, mix flour with wine, olive oil, water, salt, and pepper. Stir in the yeast water and work it into the dough with your hands. Transfer to a lightly floured board and knead until it just loses its stickiness. Set aside, covered with a damp cloth.

Warm 1/4 cup olive oil in a saute pan over medium-low heat. Add the leeks and cook gently 15 minutes, or until soft but not browned. Add the milk and cook 5 additional minutes. Stir in sugar and cook another 5 minutes. The leeks should be very soft. Add the anchovies, black olives, parsley, and tomatoes. Stir to mix well and continue cooking until the sauce is thick and liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat and stir in raisins.

Lightly oil a 12-inch pizza pan. Divide the dough into two pieces, one slightly larger than the other. Roll the larger piece out to 1/8-inch thickness ad place on the pizza pan. Spread the filling evenly across this piece, leaving a 1-inch border around the edges. Roll out the other piece of dough and fit it on top of the first, and roll the edges of the two pieces of dough together. Brush the remaining oil over the top crust, sprinkle with sugar, prick in several places with a fork, and set aside for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Bake in the oven for 15 minutes, then turn the heat down to 350 degrees F and bake another 30 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Difficulty: Medium

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Calzone
Yield: 3 calzone

1 cup warm water
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 package Fleischmann’s Active Dry Yeast
3 cups Hodgson Mill 50/50 Flour
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
no-stick cooking spray
12 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
2 ounces finely grated Parmesan cheese
3 ounces sliced prosciutto, cut into strips
3 tablespoon chopped chives
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
pizza sauce, optional

Combine warm water and sugar with yeast in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Allow
yeast to soften for 5 minutes. Add 1 1/2 cups flour, and knead until smooth. Add
oil and salt, and gradually blend in remaining flour to make a firm dough. Turn
out onto a lightly floured board and knead until smooth and satiny.

Spray a large bowl with no-stick cooking spray. Put dough in bowl, turning to
coat thoroughly. Cover with plastic wrap, then a damp towel. Allow to rise in a
warm, draft-free place for about 1 hour, until dough is almost doubled.

Spray a large baking sheet with no-stick cooking spray.

Knead down dough and divide into 3 pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll
each piece into a 9-inch circle. Place 1/3 mozzarella cheese, 1/3 Parmesan
cheese, and 1/3 prosciutto on each circle of dough. Top with chives and garlic.
Moisten edges and fold over to enclose the filling, pressing edges firmly
together.

Place on baking sheet, cover lightly with plastic wrap, and allow to rise in a
warm, draft-free place until dough feels light, about 35 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375-degree oven. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until calzone is
browned. Remove from oven and brush with oil. Sprinkle with grated parmesan
cheese. Serve warm with pizza sauce, if desired.

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Calzones

Recipe courtesy Mario Batali, 2001
Pizza Dough:
1 cup warm water
1 1/2 ounces fresh cake yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups ricotta
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1 cup cubed prosciutto cotto (ham)

Combine the water, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl and stir until dissolved. Add salt and 1 cup of the flour and mix with a wooden spoon to make a loose batter. Add 2 more cups of the flour and stir with the spoon for 2 to 3 minutes to incorporate as much flour as possible.

Bring the dough together by hand and turn out onto a floured board or marble surface. Knead for 6 to 8 minutes, until you have made a smooth, firm dough. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a towel. Set aside to rise in the warmest part of the kitchen for 45 minutes.

Cut the risen dough into 4 equal pieces and knead each portion into a round. Cover again and let rest 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Place a clean pizza stone in oven to preheat.

Dust a clean work surface lightly with flour. With your fingers and palms, flatten one of the dough rounds into a 10-inch oval about 1/4-inch thick.

In a separate bowl, mix together ricotta, mozzarella, and ham. Spoon 1/4 of mixture just above the center of one oval of dough. Fold the dough to form a half-moon and then press the edges to seal. Fold the edge up with your fingertips and pinch closed to form a ridge all the way around. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling. Place calzones on pizza stone and bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until golden brown. Serve hot.

Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 18 minutes
Difficulty: Medium

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Calzones with Cheese, Sausage and Roasted Red Pepper

1 ½ cups warm water (105°F to 115°F.)
1 envelope dry yeast
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 ½ teaspoons salt
4 cups (about) all purpose flour
1 large red bell pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 ¼ lbs. red onions, sliced
4 sweet or spicy Italian sausages, casings removed
3 cups (packed) coarsely grated mozzarella cheese (about 12 ounces)
12 ounces ricotta cheese
4 teaspoons dried oregano

Pour 1 1/2 cups warm water into large bowl. Stir in yeast. Let stand until yeast dissolves, about 5 minutes. Mix in oil and salt. Add 3 3/4 cups flour, about 1/2 cup at a time, stirring until blended. Turn dough out onto floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, sprinkling with more flour if sticky, about 10 minutes.

Place dough in oiled large bowl; turn to coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rise in warm draft-free area until doubled, about 1 hour 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, char bell pepper over gas flame or in broiler until blackened on all sides. Enclose in paper bag and let stand 10 minutes. Peel, seed and slice pepper. Heat olive oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add red onions; sauté until brown, about 25 minutes. Set aside. Sauté sausage in heavy medium skillet over medium heat until cooked through, breaking into 1/2-inch pieces with spoon, about 15 minutes. Set aside. Mix both cheeses and oregano in bowl, season with salt and pepper.

Position 1 rack in top third and 1 rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 400°F. Dust 2 baking sheets with flour.

Punch dough down. Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth, about 1 minute. Divide into 4 equal portions; shape each into ball. Roll out dough balls on lightly floured surface to 9-inch rounds. Spread 1/3 cup cheese mixture over half of each round, leaving 3/4-inch border. Cover cheese on each with 1/4 of onions, 1/3 cup cheese mixture, 1/4 of sausage, 1/3 cup cheese mixture, then 1/4 of bell peppers. Fold plain dough halves over filling, forming half circles. Pinch edges of dough firmly together to seal.

Using spatula, transfer 2 calzones to each prepared sheet. Pierce tops in several places with small knife. Bake calzones 15 minutes. Reverse baking sheets and bake until tops of calzones are golden brown, about 15 minutes longer.

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Stuffed Focaccia with Roasted Eggplant and Oregano

Michael Chiarello

This is more like a calzone or a stuffed pizza than focaccia.

For tomato sauce, get a 14 oz can of Italian diced tomatoes, mince a garlic two and throw tomatoes and garlic in processor and puree.

When roasting eggplant – watch carefully and don’t let burn.

Either make 1 big one [haven’t tried] or make 2 8″ stuffed. The latter is a tricky if only have one peel.

Increase heat to 425.

Maybe rotate pans after 10 minutes of baking (bottom to top, top to bottom) – watch while cooking at higher temp.

2 eggplants
Gray salt
Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped
Freshly ground black pepper
1 lb. prepared pizza dough
¾ cup tomato sauce
1 bunch small fresh oregano leaves
½ lb. mozzarella, sliced
3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
Cornmeal, for dusting

Preheat oven to 475 degrees F.

Slice eggplant into 1/2-inch slices. Salt the eggplant and let it sit for 15 to 20 minutes; rinse the slices and pat dry. Brush them with olive oil, sprinkle with thyme, and season with pepper. Place the slices on a baking sheet and roast, not turning, until brown and tender, about 30 minutes. Let cool.

Separate the dough into 4 rounds. Roll them out into 8 to 10-inch circles. Brush 2 of them with olive oil and lay half the eggplant in the middle of each. Top each with half the tomato sauce, some fresh oregano, half the mozzarella, and 1 tablespoon Parmesan. Top each with a round of dough and crimp the edges to make a seal (like a pie). Pierce the top crust to allow steam to vent, brush with olive oil, and sprinkle with remaining parmesan.

Position your oven racks to the upper most and lowest positions. Place 2 large baking sheets on the racks and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Carefully remove the sheets and dust them with cornmeal. Transfer the rounds to the baking sheets and brush each with some olive oil. Bake until the crusts are light brown on the bottom, about 20 minutes. When slightly cool, slice like a pie into 8 wedges.