Bacon, Pickle & Smoked Cheddar Calzones
 
 
This recipe makes 8 calzones, perfect for single servings. These calzones can be frozen and saved for later, making them great weeknight meals!
Author:
Recipe type: Main
Serves: about 8 calzones
Ingredients
  • Dough:
  • ¾ cups warm water
  • 1 tsp instant yeast
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1½ teaspoons salt
  • ½ tsp Italian seasoning
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • .
  • Filling:
  • 12 slices bacon
  • ⅔ cup pizza sauce
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 6 baby dill pickles, sliced
  • 2½ cups smoked cheddar, grated
  • Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Instructions
  1. To make dough: Preheat oven to 200°F. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine yeast and water and let sit until frothy, about 5 minutes. Add in flour, olive oil, salt, and seasoning, and mix on low speed until a dough forms and pulls away from the sides of the bowl, about 8 minutes. Dough should be tacky yet elastic. Transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover with aluminum foil and place in the oven. Turn the oven OFF and let the dough sit in the warm oven for about an hour until it has doubled in size.
  2. Once pizza has risen, remove from the oven.
  3. Cook bacon: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking trays with aluminum foil and place bacon strips on the foil. Bake for about 15 minutes until cooked and crispy. Set aside and pat away any grease with a paper towel. When cool enough to touch, crumble into chunks.
  4. Increase oven temperature to 450°F. Line two baking trays with parchment paper; set aside.
  5. Divide dough into about 8 equal pieces. On a floured surface, roll out each small ball of dough until it's about 7" in diameter. Transfer circles to prepared baking trays (you should be able to fit 4 to a tray).
  6. Spread pizza sauce on half of each circle of dough, leaving a small border un-sauced. Baste the egg on the other half (this will help the dough stick together). Top the circles with bacon pieces, pickle slices, and grated cheese. Season with pepper.
  7. Fold the circles in half so they resemble half-moons, stretching the dough if necessary to cover the filling completely. Press a fork around the edges to form a seal. Brush the tops lightly with the rest of the egg, then pierce a few holes in the tops (for a vent). Bake 12-15 minutes until pies are golden brown and crispy. Let cool slightly before serving.
Notes
If you'd like to freeze these calzones for later, simply wrap the cooked calzones in aluminum foil, then place in a ziploc bag and freeze.
When ready to use, thaw in the fridge for a few hours, or extend the cooking time to reheat from frozen.
Reheat in the microwave or a 300°F oven until heated through.
Recipe by Port and Fin at https://portandfin.com/bacon-pickle-smoked-cheddar-calzones/