I have a question for all of you…
Are there any foods/dishes you love that you had as a kid and just the thought of them makes you happy?
I have a few dishes that, when I think about them, make my heart sing!
One of the top ones for me has to be a stuffed pizza my mom makes. Hers is pretty simple…just swiss chard with onions and then, when it’s closed up, she would top it with crushed tomatoes and bake until golden. I know it sounds so simple but it is truly delicious!
When I thought about recreating it, I was having my kids over and thought that I needed it to be a bit heartier so I decided to add some ground beef.
You guyyyyssss! This stuffed pizza turned out amazing!!
Now, if you’re vegetarian or just not a fan of meat, please feel free omit it, and double (or triple) the greens to make the filling substantial. You can also change up the greens/meat/cheese as you wish to suit your taste. You could even top the stuffed pizza with the extra sauce and bake it off that way! Because mine was “super stuffed” I chose to serve the sauce on the side!!
When it comes out of the oven, this stuffed pizza is the most perfect food! It’s jam packed with deliciously seasoned ground beef, good-for-you greens and ooey, gooey cheese…all wrapped up in a crispy, soft crust. I’d call this the most perfect, all-around dish!!! 🙂
For my stuffed calzone, I used this amazing product I found at a local store (Mimi Foods in Vaughan). It’s ‘sheeted dough’ which basically means it’s been stretched out already for your convenience (it’s a great product…I’m not being paid to say that…I’m just a fan!!). But, as I say in the recipe below, you can also stretch out your own dough.
However, if you would like to make individual calzone, you do it exactly the same way but smaller (obviously!!;))
Remember to crimp the edges..do it tightly so the filling doesn’t seep out!
Look at how beautiful these are!!!!
Head on over to my Instagram to see all of this action IRL!!
Stuffed Focaccia
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp lard or vegetable shortening (this keeps the dough from stretching back)
- 1 ball pizza dough (store bought or home made) (you can also use pre-stretched dough I foud nat Mimi Foods in Vaughan)
- 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 450 gram (1 lb) ground beef
- 2 small onions, minced and divided
- 1 cup tomato sauce (you can also use salsa)
- 1 large bunch greens (spinach, kale, swiss chard), cleaned and chopped
- 1 tbsp hot peppers in oil (optional)
- 10 sliced provolone cheese (or any mild cheese)
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds (optional)
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- In a large, rimmed baking sheet, spread the lard/shortening all over the bottom. Press one dough ball into a rectangle, reaching all four corners of the sheet, and let rest while you prepare your fillings (if you're using pre-stretched dough, place the frozen sheet onto the baking pan and let thaw)
- In a large skillet, add 1 tbsp oil and cook ground beef until almost all of the pink is gone; add 2 tsp each salt, pepper and 1/2 the onion and cook until the onions are softened and the beef is cooked through. Remove cooked beef to another dish and add remaining oil to the pan.
- Add the remaining onions to the pan and cook until softened; add your prepped greens and cook until all of the vegetables are soft (season to taste),
- On half of the stretched out dough, add the beef mixture (making sure to scoop the meat up and drain most of the oil) and spread to cover half (leaving a border); top with greens (also drained because too much moisture will make a soggy crust), hot peppers (if using) and cheese slices to cover the filling.
- Fold over the dough to enclose the filling and seal the edges by crimping and folding (see photo); brush with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds and a touch of salt and pepper.
- Heat oven to 400°F and bake until golden (remember, your filling is cooked, so you are just baking the bread!). Remove from oven and wait a few minutes (you might need your super powers for that one) before cutting and serving!
