Calzone Pizza

Calzone Pizza

Recipe source :  Adapted from Pearl Magazine
Pizza dough from :  The Pioneer Woman


I came across this Calzone pizza which basically uses cheese, cheese and more cheese. Three different types of cheeses. The featured recipe called for ready-made pizza dough. But I made the pizza dough using recipe from The Pioneer Woman. Cream cheese was used as a spread instead of the usual tomato paste or pesto. Mozzarella cheese for the toppings. I omitted blue cheese. 

This Calzone pizza is definitely not for those who are looking for the traditional pizzas with rich toppings. This Calzone pizza has a very simple theme. 

Ingredients For The Crust (recipe from Ree Drummond) 

1 teaspoon dry yeast
3/4 cup warm water
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons olive oil 


This amount is enough to make two Calzones.

Preparation Instructions For The Crust

1.  Sprinkle yeast over 3/4 cup warm (not lukewarm) water. Let stand for a few minutes.
2.  In a mixer, combine flour and salt. With the mixer running on low speed, drizzle in olive oil until combined with flour. 
3.  Next, pour in yeast/water mixture and mix until just combined, and the dough comes together in a sticky mass.
4.  Coat a separate mixing bowl with a light drizzle of olive oil, and form the dough into a ball. 
5.  Toss to coat dough in olive oil, then cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and store in the fridge until you need it.


Note: Ree said it’s best to make the dough at least 24 hours in advance.

Ingredients for the filling

160g turkey ham or sausages,cut into small pieces
40g cream cheese, melted   
20g blue cheese                     ( I did not use this )
200g Mozzarella cheese
20g pesto                                ( I used fresh chopped basil instead )    

Method

1.  Divide the dough into two portions.  
2.  Brush cream cheese generously on surface of the pizza base.
3.  Arrange turkey ham or sausages and Mozzarella cheese on half the base.
4.  Fold in half to form a crescent shape. Use a fork to press along the edges.
5.  Brush cream cheese and sprinkle Mozzarella cheese and chopped basil on top of the crescent.
6.  Repeat process to make another Calzone.
7.  Bake the crescent shaped pizzas at 200 degree C for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.
8.  Serve piping hot!

I am linking this post to  Cook-Your-Book #4 hosted by Joyce of Kitchen Flavours

                 
                     

I am also submitting this post to  Aspiring Bakers #35: A Palate for Pizza (September 2013)

 hosted by Joey from Little accidents in the Kitchen

Pizza Ree-a ( Ree Drummond ) 比萨

Pizza Ree-a ( Ree Drummond ) 比萨

Recipe source :  The Pioneer Woman


After reading Mich's post I hopped over to The Pioneer Woman's pizza recipes as I was intrigue by the pizza crust that requires more than 24 hours to proof. And after reading Ree's posts on pizzas,  I had a hard time deciding which pizza to make because all the featured pizzas looked awesome! 

Pizza Ree-a is all vegetables. I adapted the original recipe. I added ham to cater to my family's taste buds. I prefer a plain base, so I omitted using pesto as a spread.  And I baked the cherry tomatoes together with the crust instead of pouring them over the baked crust and is supposed to be eaten as tomato-basil salad.

Ingredients For The Crust

1 teaspoon dry yeast
3/4 cup warm water
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons olive oil 

Preparation Instructions For The Crust

1.  Sprinkle yeast over 3/4 cup warm (not lukewarm) water. Let stand for a few minutes.
2.  In a mixer, combine flour and salt. With the mixer running on low speed, drizzle in olive oil until combined with flour. 
3.  Next, pour in yeast/water mixture and mix until just combined, and the dough comes together in a sticky mass.
4.  Coat a separate mixing bowl with a light drizzle of olive oil, and form the dough into a ball. 
5.  Toss to coat dough in olive oil, then cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and store in the fridge until you need it.


Note: Ree said it’s best to make the dough at least 24 hours in advance. ( I made the crust 42 hours in advance )

Ingredients For Topping

Salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 cup prepared pesto                          ( I did not use pesto ) 
5 cloves minced garlic
170g red and yellow cherry tomatoes, halved lengthwise 
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce                  ( Ree used balsamic vinegar )
16 whole basil Leaves, shredded
Parmesan cheese
Mozzarella cheese

Note :  I used only Mozzarella and Parmesan cheese 

Preparation Instructions For Topping

 
1.  In a small skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. 
2.  Add garlic and stir, lightly frying for about a minute, removing before the garlic gets too brown. Pour into a mixing bowl and allow to cool slightly.
3.  Add tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, basil, salt and pepper to the bowl. 
4.  Toss to combine, then taste and add more basil if needed, and more salt if needed. Set aside.
5.  Roll out the pizza dough as thin as it will go and transfer to an oiled baking tray. Drizzle a little olive oil on the dough and smear it around with your fingers. 
6.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper. 
7.  Sprinkle with Mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
8.  Place pieces of ham on top. 
9. Spoon the tomato-basil mixture on top. Sprinkle with more cheese.
10.  Bake pizza for 12-15 minutes at 200 degree C or until crust is golden.
11. Cut into squares or rectangles and serve!

  

Before baking

After baking 

A slice of the awesome pizza

I am linking this post to "Cook Like A Star" 

Hosted by Baby Sumo of Eat Your Heart Out, 

Zoe from Bake For Happy Kids and Mich from Piece of Cake  

I am also submitting this post to  Aspiring Bakers #35: A Palate for Pizza (September 2013) hosted by Joey from Little accidents in the Kitchen

Killer Club Sandwich (Ree Drummond)

Killer Club Sandwich (Ree Drummond)

Recipe source :  Ree Drummond

The moment I came across this club sandwich, I wanted to try it out. YS and I love eating club sandwiches. The last one we ate was at a hotel and that burnt a hole in my pocket.  Club sandwiches don't come cheap and not all restaurants have this in their menu. 

Ingredients ( makes 2 sets )

6 slices wholemeal bread, toast until golden brown
2 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tbsp basil pesto
1 tbsp tomato paste  ( original recipe used sun-dried tomato pesto )
1 packet bacon, fry until crispy and drain on paper towel
150g pineapple glazed ham
150g turkey ham
2 tomatoes, sliced    ( original recipe used avocados )
4 slices cheese
2 pieces lettuce

 Turkey ham and pineapple glazed ham 

 Streaky bacon

 Packaged basil pesto

Instructions

1. Mix 1 tsp of basil pesto with 1 tbsp of mayonnaise. Set aside to be used as a spread for the toast.
2  Mix 1 tbsp tomato paste with 1 tbsp mayonnaise. Set aside to be used as a spread for the toast.
3  Ree's blog shows a detailed step-by-step guide on assembling the sandwich.

YS snapped this photo just before biting into it

I am linking this post to "Cook Like A Star" 

 

Hosted by Baby Sumo of Eat Your Heart Out, 

Zoe from Bake For Happy Kids and Mich from Piece of Cake 

Cherry Tomato Salad With Mozzarella Cheese 蕃茄芝士沙律

Cherry Tomato Salad With Mozzarella Cheese 蕃茄芝士沙律

Recipe Source :  Adapted from Lisa Magazine


These pretty little morsels were assembled by my teenaged son, YS. I was surprised when YS walked into the kitchen and announced that he wanted to help by cutting some vegetables. One thing led to another and he ended up cutting and assembling this salad. I would say his fingers are more nimble than mine which are comparatively stiffer due to ageing. Top marks to YS as I sincerely think he has done a good job for someone who has never lifted a finger to help in the kitchen!

YS gave his thumbs up to this salad !

                               

Ingredients 

8 cherry tomatoes
1 piece Mozzarella cheese
8 thin cucumber slices     

Sauce Ingredients

1 tbsp lime juice ( from 2 small limes )
1 tsp castor sugar
1 tsp olive oil
a pinch of black pepper

 Cheese, cherry tomatoes and limes

Instructions

1.  Rinse the cherry tomatoes and remove the stems.
2.  Dab with paper towels to dry the cherry tomatoes.
3.  Cut a slit in the middle of the cherry tomatoes.
4.  Cut the cheese into 8 triangular pieces.
5.  Put one piece each of cheese and cucumber into the slits of the cherry tomatoes.
6.  Mix the sauce ingredients and pour the sauce over the assembled cherry tomatoes.
7.  Ready to serve.

     

        

I am submitting his post to Mui Mui of My Little Favourite DIY 

who is hosting the event for March 2013 under Little Thumbs Up. 

 

This event is organised by Zoe of Bake For Happy Kids and Mui Mui of My Little Favourite DIY  

The theme for March is "tomato"

                 

Fusion Pizza 比萨

Fusion Pizza 比萨

A slice of the fusion pizza.

  A freshly baked pizza

I first learnt to make pizza after reading Flavours magazine in 1994. The recipe featured in that article required ingredients which were not familiar to me back then. Furthermore, I was uncertain how those foreign ingredients named in that recipe would taste like and I was not sure where I could buy them from. Yet, I was eager to turn my hand to making pizza. So, I followed the featured recipe for the pizza dough and I used local ingredients for the toppings combined with  tomatoes and cheese. Over the years, I have made adjustments to my original version to suit my family's taste buds. The result is just fabulous!

Ingredients For Pizza Dough 

350g high protein flour

15g dry yeast

1 tbsp cooking oil

1 tsp salt

150 ml to 200 ml of warm water

Method :

1.  Mix the yeast and flour together

2.  Dissolve the salt in the warm water and add in the oil

3.  Add No. 1 and No. 2 together to form a dough.

4.  Mix well and knead the dough for about 10 minutes

5.  Brush a bowl with oil, put the kneaded dough into the bowl and cover it with a damp towel and leave it in a warm place for about 1 hour.

6.  The dough should rise to double of its original volume.

Ingredients For Minced Curry Pork Topping

350g minced pork

1 stalk of Chinese celery or kan choy in Cantonese, cut into 2 cm sections

2 tbsp of curry powder

1 tbsp of minced garlic

1/2 Chinese rice bowl of water

1 tsp of salt

1 tsp of sugar

2 tbsp of cooking oil

A dash of pepper

Cornflour Solution

1 tsp cornflour mix with1 tbsp water in a bowl

Instruction For Cooking the Minced Curry Pork

1.  Heat a wok. Add in the cooking oil

2.  Add in the minced garlic and saute until light brown and fragrant

3.  Add in the minced pork and stir-fry until the minced pork is broken up

4.  Add in the curry powder

5.  Add in the 1/2 bowl of water

6.  Stir fry for 2 to 3 minutes

7.  Add in the cut Chinese celery, salt, sugar and pepper

8.  When the water has almost dried up, add in the cornflour solution to thicken

9.  Dish up and set aside

This is how the topping should look like

Additional Ingredient For Pizza Topping

1 large tomato

1/2 a can of pineapples

150g of Parmesan cheese

Note : You can add a combination of Parmesan cheese and Mozzarella cheese for that extra cheesy flavour.

 

Tomato - cut the tomato into slices of 2 mm each 

Marinate the tomato slices in 1 tsp of Worcestershire sauce and 1 tsp of sugar

Pineapple - use only 1/2 a can of the canned pineapple.

Cut each cube of pineapple into 3 thinner slices 

Shredded Parmesan cheese

Step-by-Step Instruction to Make The Pizza

1.  Set the oven at 200 degree Celsius

2.  Roll out the pizza dough into round or oval shape to your own preference

3.  Place the rolled out pizza dough onto a baking tray which has been brushed with oil or butter to prevent the base of  the pizza from sticking to the pan

4.  Spread the cooked curry pork onto the rolled out pizza

5.  Next, place the cut tomatoes and pineapples on top of the minced curry pork

6.  Spread the Parmesan cheese on the topmost layer

7.  Place the baking tray into the oven and bake at 200 degree Celsius for 25 to 30 minutes

 

 The rolled out pizza with the minced curry pork at the bottom.

Arrange the marinated tomato slices and thinly sliced pineapple cubes on top

Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese on top. It's now ready for baking

Smells wonderful

My youngest son was getting impatient waiting for SK to take a snap of this slice of great tasting pizza