Hey! I want a calzone plant!!
Sounds good, Ken, what time is dinner?

Keep us posted on the roasted red pepper experiment....I bought a jar and it molded REALLY fast in the fridge. I thought that was weird.

Deanna

This is definitely a different take on the calzone. I have never rolled the various ingredients like you mentioned Ken. The way you do this provides an excellent mix of ingredients! Your way is now going to be my way..no more boring calzones. Thanks.

Last year there were quite a few ripe red peppers left after harvesting time. I roasted them, packed them in small (pimento sized) jars, poured salt water over then froze. Did the same with some green types as well.

When I want to use some, I just microwave the frozen jar until slightly thawed enough for my recipe, then return the rest to the freezer.

Makes great "little tasters" wherever canned pepper flavors are used - such as in taco mixes, salad (pimentos types), etc.

Otherwise, pressure canning would need to be considered - and I would have no need for doing them in the size jars that are available - much too big. So freezing works well for my use.

Bejay

Was going to try making some using some citric acid in the liquid, as well as potassium sorbate as a preservative, which is similar to ascorbic adid. Obviously a little salt too. One of the calzones also got a good dose of tomato powder sprinkled over the veggies. Anything to help soak up some of the liquid exuded by the jared peppers. I usually drain these roasted peppers in a colander, and also add a little salt (they usually are quite bland out of the jar). I cut the peppers up in strips and add to a pasta at the last few minutes too. BJ's sells the roasted sweet red peppers in big gallon cans, as well as in glass jars. Mancini and Progresso are two brands that come to mind. This year, I only grew pimento type peppers as they tend to be a little smaller and have thick flesh.

I can buy at a local grocery store a #10 can of roasted red peppers from Spain for 7 bucks.

I can get at the Walmart parking lot in August, a 2.2 bushel box of Hatch green chili, roasted, for $15 a box. I keep the sack in the car for a few hours to let that perfume permeate.

But thats not the worst. I have a neighbor up wind who owns one of the Mexican food restaurants in town, and they go down to New Mexico where they have family that grow all kinds of chilis, and come back with a truck full of peppers, and sit around drinking beer and roasting them on a mesquite fire, all for their restaurant. Takes a full weekend. The whole neighborhood smells of mesquite roasted chili. The trees bow in awe as the rest of us try to stop drooling.

Interesting.. Here, its chinese food and lots of garlic and celery odors from nearby resturants. There also used to be a pig farm nearby, but thats now long gone, thank goodness.. Mesquite was what I used last year and before to make my roasted red pepper spread, which also used roasted garlic and onions too. All of it went into a blender to make a puree, and so I also added some balsamic vinegar and rosemary, before it was all cooked and canned.

I'm too far from any restaurant to smell anything!
If my neighbors or I BBQ and the wind is blowing the right direction........maybe! (grin).

Ken,
Would you share your bread recipe that you used for the calzones? I have trouble with the grain being a little too fine and I end up with soggy bread! Prefer something a little chewier that would hold up to the veggies/meat sauce while baking.

Deanna

I don't add any sauce to my fillings. The wettest part of the filling are the roasted peppers. I also use dried mushrooms and even some dried onion along with fresh cooked. As well as the powdered tomato. The bread dough is very similar to a plain pizza dough, only a bit drier. I add some dried herbs to the dough as well as extra wheat gluten. Also kneading is a bit longer than normal. I know the dough is going to be firm when its rolled out and quickly snaps back again. Eventually, I can roll it out, but because of extra gluten, it takes a little longer. When its baked, I start with a very hot oven for about 15 minutes. Its to help the dough hold its raised shape. Then I reduce the heat to about 350 until its medium golden brown on top. I have these really heavy duty non stick cookie sheets I bought from Costco or BJ's. They are dark in color and are heavy guage steel. I suppose I could have baked them on a pizza stone, and may do that next time, but I was in a rush. I have a 18" round pizza stone as well as a 20"x20" square. They barely fit in moy oven. The bottoms of mine were a bit lighter in color, so, next time I will lower the oven rack a little. In these I used some Jarlsberg cheese, but they go great with grated parm, romano, provolone, or mozzarella. Don't forget a sprinkle of hot red pepper flakes too.

Sounds great!
After I get through Graduation weekend with my last daughter, maybe I can give it a try!
Thanks,
Deanna