Vegetable Calzones with Fresh Basil

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Vegetable Calzones with Fresh Basil

 

enough dough for one extra-large pizza

1 pound eggplant, preferable Asian, cut thinly on the diagonal

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 red bell peppers, cut into narrow strips

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup pine nuts

20 large basil leaves, coarsely chopped

1 1/2 cups shredded Fontina cheese

1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

3/4 cup crumbled goat cheese

salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste

 

1. Preheat over to 400 degrees.

2. Brush both sides of eggplant slices with 2 tablespoons of olive oil.

Place eggplant on baking sheet and bake, turning once, 15 to 20 minutes,

until tender and golden. Set aside.

3. Place oven rack on bottom part of oven and raise temperature to 500

degrees.

4. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in a skillet over medium-high

heat. Add peppers and cook about 10 minutes, until soft, stirring

occasionally. Add vinegar and cook 1 to 2 minutes until it evaporates.

5. In a mixing bowl, combine peppers, eggplant, pine nuts, chopped basil, 3

cheeses, and salt and pepper to taste.

6. Divide pizza dough in half, covering one half with plastic wrap. On a

lightly floured work surface, roll out the other half into a 12-inch round,

about 1/4 inch thick. Transfer to a baking sheet or pizza pan. Spread half

of filling mixture over half of the round, leaving a 1-inch border. Moisten

border with water and fold the uncovered dough over the filling, sealing the

edges well.

7. Bake until crisp and golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Repeat process with second

half of dough and remaining ingredients. Cut into wedges.

Yields 2 calzones to serve 6.