Recipe: Calzones with Four Cheeses and Eggplant

CALZONE WITH FOUR CHEESES AND EGGPLANT

"This recipe is from Joanne Weir, a San Francisco-based cooking teacher and food writer."

FOR THE EGGPLANT FILLING MIXTURE:
7 tablespoons olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 pound eggplant, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar
1/4 cup pine nuts
FOR THE DOUGH:
1 cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees F), divided use
1 envelope dry yeast
3 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups (or more) bread flour
FOR ASSEMBLY:
1 1/2 cups grated Fontina cheese (about 5 ounces)
1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella cheese (about 6 ounces)
1 (3.5 ounce) log soft mild goat cheese (such as Montrachet), crumbled
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 3/4 ounce)
1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
1/2 cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves
Fresh basil sprigs (to garnish)

TO PREPARE THE FILLING:
(The filling can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate remaining garlic-oil mixture and eggplant mixture separately. Bring to room temperature before using.)

Combine oil and garlic in small bowl. Let stand 30 minutes.

Place eggplant in colander. Sprinkle with salt and let stand 30 minutes. Drain eggplant and pat dry.

Heat half of garlic oil mixture in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add eggplant and saute until tender, about 8 minutes.

Increase heat to high. Add vinegar and cook until almost no liquid remains in skillet, about 1 minute. Season to taste with pepper. Transfer to large bowl.

Heat 1 teaspoon garlic oil mixture in heavy small skillet over medium heat. Add pine nuts and saute until golden, about 2 minutes. Add to eggplant.

TO PREPARE THE DOUGH:
Place 1/4 cup warm water in bowl of heavy-duty mixer; sprinkle yeast over and stir to dissolve. Let stand 10 minutes.

Add remaining 3/4 cup water, oil, salt and then 3 cups flour; stir to combine. Attach dough hook to mixer and beat until dough pulls away from sides of bowl, about 2 minutes.

Turn out dough onto lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, adding more flour if sticky, about 10 minutes.

Lightly oil large bowl. Add dough, turning to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in warm draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 1 hour. While dough rises, begin preparation for assembly and baking.

ASSEMBLY AND BAKING:
Position rack in lowest third of oven. Place baking stone, baking tiles or heavy large rimless baking sheet on rack in oven. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F for 30 minutes.

Mix cheeses together in bowl; set aside

Punch dough down. Divide into 4 pieces. Roll out 1 dough piece on lightly floured surface to 8-inch round. Brush dough with some of reserved garlic-oil mixture, leaving 1-inch border. Spread 1/4 of cheese mixture over half of dough, leaving 1-inch border. Cover cheese with 1/4 of eggplant mixture, 1/4 of bell pepper and 1/4 of sliced basil leaves.

Brush edges of dough with water. Fold dough in half, covering filling but allowing bottom edge of dough to show. Fold bottom edge over top edge and crimp to seal. Repeat with remaining dough, garlic-oil mixture, cheese mixture, eggplant mixture, bell pepper and sliced basil leaves, forming total of 4 calzones. (Have enough flour under calzones so they will lift easily after standing.) Cover calzones and let stand 15 minutes.

Using large metal spatula, transfer calzones to stone or preheated baking sheet in oven.

Bake until golden brown and crisp, about 12 minutes. Transfer calzones to platter. Garnish with basil sprigs and serve.

Makes 4
Adapted from source: Art Poe, 1990's