cheeseless calzones!

i love italian food. no, seriously. just the smell of tomato sauce is enough to get my heart beat and saliva glands going. most recipes, however, seem to favor those with an appetite for cheese and meat. this version of the tasty hot-pocket-esque like treat has neither. the best part is you picky eaters out there can choose exactly what does and does not go into this. you can add vegan cheese or just go veggie. even better, you can freeze* these for weeknight convenience. to top off how versatile this can really be, you can even use your favorite pizza dough recipe or for you less adventurous ... even a pizza dough mix you buy at the store will work. since i am somewhere in between, more or less just ultra-lazy, the recipe i am using is being mixed by my trusty bread machine.

cheeseless calzones.
ingredients:

1 1/2 cups water
2 tbsp olive oil (veg or canola will work too)
2 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
4 cups all-purpose flour
4 tsp active dry yeast

1/2 cup homemade or bottled pasta sauce

6-8 cups mixed veggies of your choosing (i sautéed a combo of chopped fresh spinach, sliced onions, minced garlic, diced seitan, and sliced mushrooms). you could also add a block or so of crumbled firm tofu to get that ricotta effect.

instructions:
1.) add first 6 ingredients to bread machine according to manufacturer's directions.
2.) select dough cycle. when cycle is complete, remove dough to floured surface. cover and let rest for 5 minutes.
3.) preheat oven to 400°F.

4.) divide dough into 8 equal portions. on a floured surface, roll each portion to 6-7" circle. Spread about 1 tbsp. of sauce evenly over bottom half of each round leaving a 1" border uncovered at edge. add 1/8th of the veggie/seitan/tofu mixture over sauce. fold dough over filling to make half-circles. pinch or crimp edges to seal (i used a fork); prick tops several times with fork or sharp knife.

5.) place on a lightly oiled baking sheet and bake on center oven rack for 25 minutes (if freezing some or all for later, only bake for about 10-15 mins, then let cool and store in freezer). let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

makes: 8
*take frozen calzone and place it on a baking tray in a preheated 400°F oven. bake for 25-30 minutes. (if you're taking these for a lunch and don't have access to an oven/can't wait, i would recommend thawing in the fridge the night before so it can re-heat in less time in your microwave or toaster oven.

**also! all apologies (nirvana-style) for the shotty cell phone pictures. my lovely digital camera lost battery power. jerk.