Calzone is an Italian Over-baked folded Pizza. Normally the stuffing is the typical pizza toppings with cheese of your choices. However, regional variations are made once the dish has travelled across borders. My favorite filling is Chickpeas and veggies with minimum use of cheese. This not only cuts down the calories but also make it little interesting.

Preparation time: 60 minutes

Servings: 4

Kitchen instrument: Oven

Difficulty level: 5/10

Ingredient:

-         1 cup chick peas

-         1.5 spoon dry yeast

-         2 cups of all purpose flour.

-         1 tsp chilli flakes

-         1 tsp Italian seasoning.

-         1 cup warm milk

-         1/2 cup chopped bell pepper

-         1/2 cup chopped tomatoes

-         1/2 cup chilli sauce

-         2 tsp oil

-         ½ cup cheese.

-         Salt per taste

Preparation:

1.      Soak chickpeas for 2-3 hours.

2.      Add salt and Boil them until tender and you can see the split.

3.      Dissolve yeast in a bowl of warm milk

4.      Add flour, salt, chili flakes and seasoning in a large mixing bowl.

5.      Add dissolved yeast and milk mixture to knead a sticky dough.

6.      Cover and let it stand for 1.5 hours.

7.      Now in a pan, heat oil and add vegetables to sizzle.

8.      Sprinkle pinch of salt and Add 4 tsp of chilli sauce and mix well.

9.      Now add chickpeas and sauté it for 2 minutes.

10. Cover and simmer for 2 more minutes.

11. Your filling is ready.

12. Now you can use store bought pizza sauce or make your own to spread on the inner side of calzone.

13. My recipe is to add 3 tsp ketchup and 5 tsp chili sauce in a mixing bowl. Add some chilli flakes and seasoning. Mix well and freeze for 30 minutes.

14. Your pizza sauce is ready.

15. Now knead the dough that you kept aside to rise.

16. Make four parts of it.

17. Roll each part into flat rounds.

18. Spread pizza sauce and add filling on half side.

19. Sprinkle some cheese.

20. Now fold other side on the top and press the borders hard with thumb to seal the calzone.

21. Grease both sides with butter.

22. Preheat oven to 375 degree F.

23. Grease a pizza tray and place calzones to bake it for 15 to 18 minutes or until golden on both sides.

24. Serve hot with ketchup on side.

Tips:

-         You can make fillings of your choice. Another interest filling is Cottage cheese with seasoning, olives and pickled jalapenos. You can also add just sauté vegetables with feta cheese or hummus.

So this monsoon, when I crave for Pizza, it will be mint corn pizza. Yes mint and corn. Great combination! Sweet and minty.  And if you have some guilt free side, what else you need. I will have zucchini for side. Let’s get started.

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Servings: 3

Kitchen instrument: oven

Difficulty level: 3/10

Ingredient:

-         1 cup corn in cream (canned)

-         1 cup baby corn (fresh or canned)

-         1/2 cup mint leaves

-         2-3 green chllies

-         1 cup tomato sauce

-         1/4 cup chilli sauce

-         Pizza crust 3

-         1 large zucchini

-         Cheese 2 cups

-         2 tsp Italian seasoning

Preparation:

1.       Blend corn in cream, mint, chillies with pinch of salt.

2.       Corn and mint pesto is ready.

3.       Add sauce, ketchup and 1 tsp seasoning in a bowl and mix well.

4.       Your red sauce is ready.

5.       Now preheat oven to 370 degree F

6.       Now take pizza crust and layer it with red sauce.

7.       Spread second layer of pesto.

8.       Cover with cheese.

9.       Now add baby corn pieces.

10.   Bake it until the crust is crisp and golden.

11.   Now garnish with mint leaves and seasoning.

12.   Now for side, cut zucchini in slices.

13.   Top with red sauce and cheese.

14.   Bake it for 8 -10 minutes.

15.   Serve it with pizza slices.

Tips:

-         You can add jalapenos and olives as toppings. However, fusion doesn’t work well with this pizza.

Quick and easy southwestern style pizza is always a great starter when the guests are mixture of adults and kids. For a change it doesn’t require tomatoes to make pizza sauce. Instead we will use yogurt or sour cream and cilantro to get the savory taste. Also we will add black beans to spike the pizza with extra protein.

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Servings: 4

Kitchen instrument: Oven

Difficulty level: 1/10

Ingredient:

Cilantro Dip

-          2 cups yogurt or sour cream

-          1 cup cilantro

-          Salt to taste

-          3-4 green chilies

Pizza

-          4 store bought thin Pizza crust

-          1/2 cup red bell pepper chopped

-          1/2 cup yellow bell pepper chopped

-          1/4 cup pickled jalapeno sliced

-          1 cup cooked black beans

-          1 cup sweet corn kernels

-          Salt and red crushed pepper(optional)

-          Cheese of your choice

Preparation:

1.      Preheat oven for 375 degree F

2.      Spread cheese on pizza crust and bake it in preheated oven for 5-7 minutes until crisp.

3.      Mix pizza topping ingredients in a large bowl including salt and crushed peppers

4.      Take out the pizza from oven and add generous amount of toppings.

5.      Put back in over for another 5 minutes.

6.      Take out and drizzle generous amount of cilantro dip on the top.

7.      Cut into pieces and its ready to serve.

Tips: You can use your choice of pizza crust. You can add lettuce shred on the top of cilantro dip before serving.

Can Pizza ever be healthy? Sure it can. There is no need of cheese to make it extra delicious. The recipe I am going to share here is of quick and simple yet healthy Mediterranean style crispy pizza.

Preparation time: 30 minutes | Servings: 2 | Kitchen instrument: Oven

Ingredients:

Hummus:

-          1 canned chick peas or 2 cup boiled chick peas

-          1 tsp oil

-          1 tsp lemon

-          Salt to taste

-          3-4 green chilies

-          3 peeled garlic (optional)

Pizza:

-          4 pitta bread

-          1/2 cup red bell pepper chopped

-          1/2 cup yellow bell pepper chopped

-          1/4 cup black olives sliced

-          1/4 cup pickled jalapeno sliced

-          1 tsp oil

Preparation:

1.       Blend chickpeas, salt, lemon, chilies and garlic to make a smooth paste.

2.       Drizzle some oil and sprinkle red chili powder.

3.       Your pizza spread hummus is ready.

4.       In a pan, heat oil and add both bell peppers.

5.       Sprinkle salt to taste and stir fry it for 2 minutes

6.       Now add olives and jalapenos mix well and stir for 1 minute and turn off the heat.

7.       Your pizza topping is ready as well.

8.       Preheat oven for 375 degree F

9.       Spread hummus on pita bread and bake it in preheated oven for 5-7 minutes until crisp.

10.   Take out and add the toppings. 

11.   Your pizza is ready to be served.

Tips:

-          If you want, you can add feta cheese as additional topping. Also instead of pita bread, you can use regular soft pizza base as well.