Italian home cooking is my go-to comfort meal. Any kind. I grew up with my Dad being the main cook, and he was raised by an Italian matriarch who passed her recipes to him. My Dad's sauce is always the exact same, it's perfect and it has ruined all other sauces at restaurants for my sister and me. I have watched him make it and taken notes and still, SOMETHING is missing. I stick to my Italian roots and make all other recipes, not his original meat sauce. We leave that to him. Since I won't attempt his sauce anymore, I have been trying my hand at all other types of Italian classics.
I love a punchy, bright and spicy tomato sauce. I use Rao's Arrabiata sauce in this recipe (it's a masterpiece) ,the slow cooked Braciole with some mozzarella and ricotta and tuck it all into a fresh sourdough pizza dough. Making calzones is so fun and a way you can really get your hands into the cooking process. I have discovered some tried and true tricks when it comes to working with this pizza dough and how to make a perfectly fluffy and golden 'zone. Imagine you make this recipe and you have it leftover in your fridge after a night out? Tell me this spicy, cheesy, carby bomb wouldn't hit the spot.
For the sauce:
Braciole is such a delicious Italian classic. Taking a traditionally tougher cut of beef and cooking it slowly in a sauce makes it super tender and packed with flavor. The way we amp this up is with some great quality Arrabiata sauce. The addition of fresh garlic, hot arrabiata sauce, parmesan rinds and prosciutto pushes the original recipe up to the modern era. It's spicy, slow cooked, both deep and bright served over al-dente pasta or in this sourdough calzone version. The options for the sauce are limitless and I have re-jarred mine and frozen it for later use!
What You'll Need
The Calzone:
1 pizza dough of choice or 1 sourdough pizza dough -----> https://www.doughsgonebedoughs.com/post/how-i-make-easy-chewy-sourdough-pizza-dough-3-pizza-combinations-to-impress-your-guests
1 cup Braciole Arrabiata Sauce (recipe below)
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup parmesan cheese
The Arrabiata Sauce:
2 large jars of Rao's Arrabiata sauce (costco)
2 cups water
1-2 large parmesean rind
8-10 whole garlic cloves
1 tbsp italian herb blend
1/2 large white onion diced.
The Braciole:
1.5- 2 lbs Chuck short ribs, about 2-3 long strips (pound out to about 1.5 inch thickness)
1/2 cup grated italian blend cheese (per braciole)
1/3 cup italian bread crumbs
1/3 cup spinach
prosciutto (depending on your sliced prosciutto size, we are just looking for enough to cover the braciole fillings in a thin layer.)
salt and pepper to coat
kitchen twine to tie together
Let's Make The Braciole Arrabiata:
1. Take out your chuck short ribs and set them between 2 pieces of parchment paper. Using a mallet or the bottom of your dutch oven, pound out your beef until it's about an inch and a half thick.
2. Sprinkle your breadcrumbs, grated Italian blend cheese, and spinach evenly on top of the beef. On top of your fillings line the top with a sheet of prosciutto.
3. Roll your Braciole inward (involtini) and tie it to hold it together with kitchen twine.
4. In a large dutch oven or stockpot, line the bottom with about 2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil.
5. Sprinkle salt and pepper on all sides of the Braciole. Sear all over (about 1 minute per side).
6. Pour in your 2 jars of Rao's Arrabiata and 2 cups of water ( On top of the Bracioles)
7. Toss in your garlic cloves, parmesan rinds, herbs, and diced onions.
8. Stir to incorporate and turn your heat down to low and cook for 2 hours. (until beef is fork-tender)
9. Jar your sauce and it'll last in the fridge for about 3 days. Let cool on the counter before jarring and freezing. Lasts about 3 months.
To Make the Calzones:
Take your dough out of the fridge, divide in 2 and let rest about 10 min.
Preheat a pizza stone to 450°F
With Oiled or wet hands, press your dough out lightly (looking to fill the middle)
Spoon your braciole and sauce into the middle of the dough.
Spread your cheese over the top of the fillings. Don't let your fillings touch the outside perimeter of the dough.
Fold your dough over and press the seams together to form a crust. Cut 3 seams in the top.
On a piece of parchment paper on your pizza stone, slide your Calzone dough on top. (I use a wooden cutting board and a piece of parchment paper to slide it onto the pizza stone.)
Bake for 25-30 minutes.
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