Meatball Calzone

Preparation

A personal calzone turns out to be just the right size: perfect crust-to-filling ratio, no squabbling over slices. These are stuffed with homemade meatballs and served with classic marinara for dipping. While we love making everything from scratch, you can easily cut down on prep—just use store-bought dough and marinara, and you’ll have dinner on the table in no time.

1. Make dough. In a medium bowl, whisk water, sugar, and yeast. Let sit until yeast is dissolved and frothy, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk flour and 1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Add yeast to flour mixture and combine into a shaggy dough. Wipe out flour bowl and lightly grease with oil, set aside for after kneading
2. Transfer dough to a work surface and knead until dough is smooth and bounces back when you poke it, about 10 minutes. Transfer dough to prepared bowl and cover loosely with a damp kitchen towel. Set aside in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour. 
3. Meanwhile, make marinara. Heat a HexClad 3QT/3 L Hybrid Saucepan over medium. Add oil and onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring often, until slightly darkened and thickened, about 5 minutes. 
4. Stir in garlic, oregano, basil, and red pepper flakes. Add white wine and cook, stirring with a flat-bottomed spoon to scrape off any caramelized bits, until wine is mostly evaporated, about 1 minute. 
5. Add tomatoes, sugar, fresh basil, and season to taste. Let simmer, covered, until slightly thickened, about 30 minutes. Season with salt. 
6. While marinara cooks, make meatballs. Heat a HexClad 4.5QT/4.3 L Hybrid Deep Sauté Pan over medium. Add 1 tablespoon oil and cook onions, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Transfer onions to a large bowl; wipe skillet clean and reserve.
7. Add beef, breadcrumbs, egg, milk, fresh basil, fresh parsley, dried basil, dried oregano, and ¾ teaspoon salt to onions and mix to combine. Wipe skillet clean and reserve for cooking meatballs. 
8. Form mixture into eight 1½-inch (4-cm) meatballs. Heat remaining 1 Tbsp/15 ml oil in a HexClad 4.5QT/4.3 L Hybrid Deep Sauté Pan over medium and cook meatballs, turning occasionally, until golden brown on all sides and just cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer meatballs to a work surface and let sit until cool enough to handle. Thinly slice meatballs. 
9. Assemble calzones. Preheat oven to 400°F/200º C. Melt butter and garlic in a HexClad 1QT/1 L Hybrid Saucepan over medium. Remove from heat and stir in parsley. Keep warm. 
10. In a small bowl, whisk egg with a splash of water until smooth. 
11. Divide dough into 8 equal pieces (about 2¾/80 grams each). On a lightly floured surface, roll one disc of dough to about ¼-inch (0.5-cm) thick (a 6- to 7-inch/15- to 18-cm round). Transfer to a HexClad Hybrid Pizza Steel. Add one sliced meatball and one large pinch (about 1 Tbsp/15 grams) cheese to one half. Brush untopped edge with egg wash. Gently press top border to bottom and crimp with a fork or fingers to seal. Use a paring knife to make 2 large slits on top, then brush with egg wash. Repeat with remaining rounds and meatballs, spacing assembled calzones evenly apart. Bake until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.
12. Brush with garlic butter and serve warm with marinara for dipping.

MAKE AHEAD TIPS

NOTE Instead of making dough or marinara from scratch you can substitute with 1 lb 4 oz. store bought dough at room temperature and 2 cups jarred marinara. 

Text and images adapted from Best of the Bowl. Published by FOUND. Used with permission.