Source:

Mike Luco, Houston, Texas

Serves/Makes:4

Ingredients

• Focaccia Dough:
• 2-1/2 cups (600 ml) flour
• 7/8 cup (200 ml) water
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) fine virgin olive oil
• 1/4 tsp (1 ml) oregano (dried)
• 1/4 tsp (1 ml) thyme (dried)
• 1/8 tsp (1 ml) red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp (2 ml) garlic powder
• 1 tsp (5 ml) quick-rising dry yeast
• or
• 1-1/2 tsp (7 ml) active dry yeast
• Filling:
• 3/4 lb (.3 kg). ground round
• 1/2 cup (125 ml) white wine
• 1 eggplant, peeled and cubed
• 1 lemon, juice only
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tbsp (45 ml) virgin olive oil
• 1 cup (225 ml) low-salt cheddar cheese
• Dry spices mixed together:
• 1/2 tsp (2 ml) oregano (dried)
• 1/2 tsp (2 ml) basil (dried)
• 1 tsp (5 ml) garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp (2 ml) thyme (dried)

Preparation

• Focaccia Dough:
• This is for bread machines. Use the dough setting.
• When the dough is ready, remove the dough and break it into halves.
• Filling:
• Peel and slice the eggplant into 1-inch cubes.
• Sprinkle the eggplant with the juice of one lemon.
• Saute the garlic in the olive oil.
• Add the eggplant to the heated olive oil and garlic. Eggplant tends to absorb oil, so make sure that the olive oil is heated before adding the cubed eggplant.
• Saute until the eggplant starts to become translucent. Continue to saute, making sure not to burn the eggplant.
• After eggplant has become mostly translucent, add the white wine.
• Cook until the mixture begins to become dry.
• Add 1/2 cup (125 ml) of water and cook this mixture until it begins to lose most of its moisture.
• Let cool. The eggplant should be somewhat mushy; this is OK.
• Mash the cooked eggplant with a potato masher.
• Crumble ground beef and brown.
• Drain off fat from the cooked beef.
• With half of the focaccia dough, roll it out into a circular shape about 1/4 inch thick.
• Add half the cooked eggplant mixture, plus half of the meat, on the bottom half of the dough.
• Sprinkle about 1/2 cup (125 ml) of cheddar cheese over the browned meat.
• Sprinkle half of the dry spices on top of the cheese.
• Dip a pastry brush or the tip of your finger into a cup of water.
• Wet the edges of the dough.
• Fold the dough in half, over the filling, and crimp the edges together with a fork or your fingers.
• Carefully place the calzone on a baking sheet or cookie sheet.
• With a pastry brush, coat the top of the dough with olive oil to aid in browning.
• Repeat for other half of dough and filling.
• Cook in preheated 450 degree (225 C.) oven until brown.

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