Calzone
Unlike the individual servings you’ve probably seen at your local Italian restaurant, this is my great-grandmother’s version of a shepherd’s pie. She was from Northern Italy, and my grandmother used to talk about all the things she did in Italy as a child before she came to the U.S. This recipe brings back memories of Easters we got to spend together. I think this dish tastes best when it is served at room temperature, or slightly warmed.
Ingredients
- 4 cups flour
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 cup water (or more – enough to form stiff but workable dough)
- 1 ½ lbs. ground beef
- 2 lbs. Ricotta cheese
- ½ lb. Genoa salami, sliced thin
- 1 lb. mozzarella cheese, sliced
- 7 eggs, beaten
Instructions
- Combine flour, olive oil, sale and enough water to form a stiff dough.
- Knead dough about 5 minutes and divide in half.
- Roll out half the dough on a floured surface and line a greased 9x13 inch pan with it.
- Brown ground beef and drain excess fat.
- Layer ground beef on the dough in the pan.
- On top of that, spread the Ricotta cheese.
- Overlap slices on top of Ricotta to cover the cheese completely.
- Put the sliced mozzarella on top of the salami.
- Pour all but about 2 tablespoons of the beaten eggs over the contents.
- Roll out the remaining half of the dough and place it over the top; seal the edges.
- Brush the remaining egg over the top crust and cut several slits for steam to escape.
- Bake in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes.
- Increase the heat to 375 degrees and bake for another 15 minutes.
