Best Heart Shaped Whole Wheat Mini Calzones Recipes

MINI CALZONES

Steps:

• Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees F. Sprinkle a baking sheet with the semolina and set aside.
• Lightly flour a work surface and roll the dough into a round that is about 12 inches wide and 1/2 inch thick. Cut out 8 rounds with a 3 1/2- to 4-inch biscuit cutter or drinking glass. Dust with flour and cover with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap.
• Beat the egg with 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl. Set aside.
• Combine the cheese blend, ricotta, 1/4 cup Parmesan, scallions and garlic powder in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Place 3 slices of the pepperoni on one half of each round of dough, leaving a 1/4-inch border around the edges. Top each round with 2 tablespoons of the cheese mixture.
• Brush the egg wash around the edges of one dough round using your finger or a pastry brush. Gently fold the dough over the filling to enclose and crimp the edges with a fork to seal. Repeat with the remaining dough rounds.
• Brush the tops of the calzones with the egg wash and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan.
• Place the calzones on the prepared baking sheet and bake on the middle rack until golden, 14 to 16 minutes, rotating the sheet halfway through for even baking.
• While the calzones bake, heat the tomato sauce in a medium saucepan over medium heat until bubbling, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl. Place the calzones on a platter with the sauce and serve immediately.

WHOLE-WHEAT BEEF, MUSHROOM AND SPINACH CALZONE

Steps:

• Set a pizza stone or baking sheet on an oven rack in the bottom-third position and preheat to 425 degrees F.
• Heat 1 teaspoon of the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and a pinch of crushed red pepper. Break the beef into large chunks with a wooden spoon. When the beef is browned all over, about 2 minutes, add the mushrooms, 2/3 of the garlic and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook for 3 minutes, then fold in the spinach to wilt, about 1 minute. This mixture should be relatively dry. Remove to a large bowl to cool completely.
• Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon olive oil and garlic and another pinch of crushed red pepper to the skillet. Stir for a minute to lightly brown the garlic, then add the tomatoes and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Simmer until thick, about 6 minutes. Reheat this sauce when ready to serve with the calzones.
• Divide the pizza dough into 4 balls. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. On a well-floured surface, roll out each rested ball into a 6- or 7-inch circle 1/8 inch thick. On the bottom half of each circle, mound a quarter of the cooled beef mixture, top with 3 tablespoons of the mozzarella, fold over the top half of the dough to form a semicircle and pinch the edges to seal. Carefully transfer the calzones with a spatula to the prepared baking sheet. Lightly brush with the beaten egg. Cut 2 small slits on top of each to vent steam.
• Bake the calzones in the oven on the hot pizza stone or baking sheet until golden brown, about 22 minutes. Serve with the heated tomato sauce on the side.
• Stir together the warm water, honey and yeast in a measuring cup or small bowl. Let sit until a small layer of foam develops at the top, 3 to 5 minutes. (If this doesn't happen, discard and try again with new yeast.)
• Whisk the flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt together in a medium bowl. Add the foamy yeast mixture and olive oil and mix together with a stiff rubber spatula. Form the dough into a uniform ball in the center of the bowl. Be sure to scrape and use any dough stuck to the sides. The dough will be very sticky at this stage. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and keep in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size, about 2 hours.
• Lightly dust a baking sheet with flour. Sprinkle a generous amount of flour on a clean, dry work surface. Scrape the dough onto the floured surface and knead for a couple of minutes, working in just enough flour to make the dough less sticky but still moist to the touch. Form the dough into 1, 2 or 4 balls, for large, medium and small pizzas. Place the dough ball(s) on the prepared baking sheet. Cover loosely with plastic wrap or a dish towel and let rest for 30 minutes. The dough can then be shaped and cooked as desired or wrapped well and frozen for up to 1 month. Thaw frozen dough at room temperature, shape and cook as desired.

HEART SHAPED WHOLE WHEAT MINI CALZONES

Steps:

• Combine white whole wheat flour, whole wheat pastry flour, baking powder, and salt together in the bowl of a stand mixer; make a well in the center of flour mixture.
• Mix water, olive oil, and honey together in a separate bowl; sprinkle yeast over water mixture. Let stand without stirring until yeast softens and begins to form a creamy foam, about 10 minutes.
• Pour yeast mixture into well of the flour mixture; mix on low setting using paddle beater until combined, 2 to 3 minutes. Replace paddle beater with dough hook and beat dough on low setting for 10 minutes.
• Spray the inside of a large bowl with cooking spray.
• Transfer dough to the prepared bowl; cover bowl with a towel and let rise in a warm area at least 30 minutes (1 hour for better texture).
• Divide dough into two balls; knead each by hand for about 1 minute.
• Spray 2 baking sheets with cooking spray.
• Roll each dough ball out with a rolling pin onto the prepared baking sheets about 1/4 inch thick. Cut dough into an even number of hearts using heart-shaped cookie cutters.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Place broccoli in a microwave-safe bowl; cook on high in microwave until slightly tender, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Mix cooked broccoli, chicken, and cream cheese together in a bowl. Spoon 1 to 2 tablespoons filling into the center of a heart; top with another heart. Seal edges together by pressing around the heart with a fork. Repeat with remaining filling and hearts.
• Bake in the preheated oven until hearts are golden brown, about 20 minutes.