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Roasted Tomato Chicken Calzones

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Ingredients
  

For the Calzone Dough:

  • 3 - 4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp. instant yeast
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1-¼ cups lukewarm water
  • ½ tsp. sea salt

For the Roasted Tomato Jam:

  • 6 large vine ripened tomatoes, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
  • 1-½ tsp. kosher salt
  • ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp. brown sugar

For the Fillings (your choice):

  • Grilled chicken, sliced
  • Red onions, sautéed
  • Red pepper
  • Black olives
  • Parmesan, mozzarella and cheddar cheeses
  • Bacon, crisply cooked

Instructions
 

To prepare the calzone dough:

  • In a medium bowl, mix dry ingredients together except for one cup of the flour.
  • Add the warm water; using a wood spoon, mix very well for about 5 minutes.
  • Add the remaining flour, a little at a time, until a soft dough forms; it might not be necessary to use all of the last cup of flour; use only enough flour to make the dough soft enough to handle without being too sticky.
  • Remove to a floured breadboard or your counter top; knead for an additional 5 minutes.
  • Allow dough to rest for ½ hour, covered, and placed in a warm place.
  • Knead again for 5 minutes and split dough into 6 to 8 portions; allow to rest again for 20 minutes.
  • Roll the dough into the desired size; about 10-inch circles for calzones (see notes).

To prepare the roasted tomato jam:

  • Pre-heat the oven to 350°F.
  • In a shallow baking dish, toss together all ingredients; mix well to combine.
  • Place in the pre-heated oven and bake for about an hour; stirring occasionally until most of the liquid has reduced and the tomatoes are the consistency of jam.

To prepare the calzones:

  • Pre-heat your pizza stone, in middle rack of the oven, for half an hour at 500°F.
  • Stretch or roll your calzone dough into 10-inch rounds; place on a wooden pizza peel that has been sprinkled with cornmeal; the cornmeal will allow the calzone to slide off the peel; ensure the dough round is sliding on the cornmeal base before adding toppings.
  • Spread roasted tomato jam over half the round leaving a 1-inch border.
  • Top the tomato jam with the other filling ingredients, ending with the cheese.
  • Fold the dough over the filling; pinch the edges together by folding the bottom layer of dough slightly over the top crust and pressing to seal.
  • Brush the tops of the calzones lightly with a simple egg wash of 1 egg whisked with 2 tbsp. water; you will only use a little of this egg wash.
  • Shake the pizza peel to make sure the calzone is not stuck.
  • Slide the calzone onto the hot stone, shaking it slightly in a back and forth motion as you slowly retract the wooden peel.
  • Place in the pre-heated oven and bake for about 10 to15 minutes or until top crust is evenly brown; cooking times will vary depending upon the oven; bottom and top should be nicely browned.
  • Remove from the oven and allow the calzone to sit for 5 minutes before cutting and serving.

Notes

The dough can be made the day before; brush the individual portions with olive oil and store in a covered container overnight. 
The dough can be used immediately after removing from the refrigerator.