Picnic Pockets

Fresh baked pockets of dough filled with vegetables and cheese might exemplify comfort food. Now serve that outdoors on a moss covered floor seated across from your life partner-and that feeling is achieved.  

We kept our picnic close to home today-less than 20 miles-traveling to Coopers Rock (WV) State Park.  I refrigerated a small portion of dough made yesterday, along with vegetables and beef, cut and cooked, and shredded cheese.  I was ready to fill and bake 1 hour before leaving, by preheating the oven and setting out the dough.

After the dough had set out and rested in individual balls, I patted it into a round and topped with a veggie mix of sauteed mushrooms, onions and peppers, then adding chopped cooked beef round and shredded cheese.  I folded the dough over, crimped the edges and baked for 25 minutes.  To transport, I wrapped each calzone in foil, wrapped in a warm towel and placed in a zippered insulated container.  The folded dough retains the heat even better than a pizza!

Our meal today included corn-mango salsa (a mixture of corn, steamed and cut off the cob, mango, peach, tomato and fresh basil with cilantro).  No dressing is necessary.  Sticks of watermelon are on the side.  The beautiful Key Lime Pie is from a local bakery.  We split that in half and shared.

Calzones

(6 servings) 

Dough
In bowl of electric mixer with dough hook in place, mix 1 cup flour and yeast.  Add water and honey.  Beat at medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl down.
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 teaspoon instant yeast
1 cup warm (125F) water
1 tablespoon honey

Add 1/2 cup flour, salt and olive oil.  Beat at medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl down.
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil

Slowly add whole wheat flour, kneading on low speed until dough leaves sides of bowl, about 7 minutes.
3/4 cup whole wheat flour

Place in bowl sprayed with olive oil spray.  Turn dough.  Cover and let rise for 45-60 minutes, or place in refrigerator till ready to bake.

Calzone assembly
Divide dough into 6 pieces.  Place on floured surface and let rest (covered) for 30 minutes.
Sprinkle parchment lined baking sheets with cornmeal.
1/4 cup corn meal 
Press each dough piece into a round.
Top each piece with 2 tablespoons sauteed vegetables (mushrooms, onions and peppers)
Add 2 tablespoons chopped cooked beef round.
Top with 2 tablespoons of cheese. 
Shredded cheeses (aged cheddar and Parmigiano)
Fold dough over.  Crimp ends with a fork. 
Brush calzones with oil.
2 tablespoon olive oil 
Bake at 400 F. for 25 minutes.

Our picnic today was at Coopers Rock (WV) State Park. 

The mountain laurel is in bloom.  We beat the rain.