Swiss Chard and
Sun-Dried Tomato
Calzone
ACTIVE 40 MIN; TOTAL 55
MIN; SERVES 4Warm pillows of pizza dough
stuffed with cheese and other
savory ingredients, calzones
are surprisingly easy to make.2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. Swiss chard, tough
stems removed, leaves
washed well and
shredded(^1) / (^2) tsp. salt
(^1) / 2 tsp. freshly ground
black pepper
1 lb. ricotta cheese
(^1) / 2 lb. mozzarella, grated
(about 2 cups)
2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan
cheese
(^1) / 4 cup drained and
chopped sun-dried
tomatoes packed in oil
(^1) / 4 cup chopped fresh basil
(optional)
1 lb. store-bought or
homemade pizza dough
- Preheat oven to 450° F.
In a large nonstick skillet,
heat 1 tablespoon oil over
moderately high heat. Add
Swiss chard and^1 / 4 teaspoon
each of the salt and pepper
and cook, stirring, until chard
is wilted and no liquid remains
in the pan, about 3 minutes.
Set aside to cool. Squeeze
out any remaining liquid,
if necessary. - In a large bowl, combine
the ricotta, mozzarella,
Parmesan, sun-dried toma-
toes, basil, and remaining
(^1) / 4 teaspoon each of salt and
pepper. Add Swiss chard
and mix well.
- Oil a large baking sheet.
Cut pizza dough into 4 pieces.
On a floured surface, roll or
stretch each of the pieces into
an 8-inch round. Spoon a
quarter of the cheese mixture
onto one half of each round,
leaving a^3 / 4 -inch border.
Brush border with water and
then fold the dough up over
filling. Seal the edges by
folding the edge of the dough
over and pinching it. Transfer
calzones to the prepared
baking sheet. Brush calzones
with remaining tablespoon
of oil and bake until golden,
15 to 20 minutes.—F&W
WINE A Tuscan Sangiovese
such as Sangiovese di
Toscana or Sangiovese
di Romagna.
SWISS-CHARD
AND SUN-DRIED-
TOMATO CALZONE OLIVE OIL TIPS
- Only buy oil labeled
extra-virgin. This is not a
guarantee that the oil will
be the best, but at least it
will probably not be
among the worst. Bottles
labeled just “Olive Oil”
and “Light Olive Oil” are
refined oils and, while
they’re not bad in any
way, they’re not very
interesting. The term
“first cold pressing,”
although widely used, is
redundant. By legal
definition, extra-virgin
oil must come from the
first (usually the only)
pressing, which must be
accomplished with no
added heat at ambient
temperatures no higher
than around 80°F. - Read the label. Even
if it’s written in Italian,
French, or Spanish, you
can probably figure out
enough to recognize
harvest and “use by”
dates. The finest
producers always put the
harvest date proudly on
their olive oil. The use-by
date can be a little
deceptive since it is
usually 18 months from
bottling, rather than from
the harvest. - Avoid anything in a
clear glass bottle. Light is
the great enemy of olive
oil and the oil inside will
likely have lost most of its
flavor and aroma. Look
for extra-virgin olive oil
in dark glass bottles or,
better yet, opaque tins. - Keep your bottles in a
cool, dark environment.
Keep a couple of small tin
containers within reach
of your stove and refill
them from the bulk of
your oil, which can be
kept in a cupboard in an
unheated pantry. - Buy fresh when
possible. Extra-virgin
olive oil does not
improve with age.
Fresher is better, and
right out of the mill,
olive oil is a fabulous
experience. - Use your oil. And
don’t be afraid to cook
with extra-virgin. It is
perfectly stable up to
about 420°F.