BBQ Chick'n Calzone

After years of difficult and exhaustive research, I can conclusively say that although I love pizza, l love Calzones more. I think that's perhaps why people tend to fold their pizza slices-- they're trying to turn them into calzones! lol 😜

And as you can see.. 🎶🎵🎶 My calzones bring all the dogs from the yard!! 🎵🎶🎵

The whole pack agrees with my findings, especially our adorable guest Bentley!

Calzones are like small perfectly-packaged presents with a yummy surprise inside! They are fun to make, easy to warm up and can be conveniently eaten on-the-go! These beauties are perfect for packing to school or work too! And if you have leftovers that you want to repurpose but don't know what to do with, stuff them into a calzone!! 😉

This batch of calzones though are not filled with repurposed leftovers. They are deliciously stuffed with Chick'n BBQ and gooey Cauliflower Cheese!! 😋🤤😋 As our cholesterol-free (and cruely-free) chicken replacement, we will be using soy curls that we will coat in some yummy barbecue sauce. And for the cheese, we are minimally tweaking an easy cauliflower cheese recipe by Plantifully Based.

Chick'n Bbq Calzones with Gooey Cauliflower Cheese!!

Yield: 4 large calzones or 8 medium calzones

Prep Time: 30 mins

Cook Time: 40 mins

Total Time: 90 mins

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INGREDIENTS:

Calzone Dough:

• 3 cups flour (I used whole wheat + whole wheat pastry)

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 tsp dry active yeast

• 1 tbsp coconut sugar

• 1 cup water

• 1/2 cup unsweetened soy milk (may sub with other unsweetened nondairy milk)

• 1 tbsp aquafaba

Cauliflower Cheese:

• 1/2 of a cauliflower head, roughly chopped

• 1/4 cup tapioca flour

• 1 tbsp nutritional yeast

• 2 tsp pink salt

• 1/2 tsp maple syrup

• 1 cup unsweetened nondairy milk

Chick'n BBQ Filling per Calzone:

• 1.5 tbsp bbq sauce

• 1/4 cup cauliflower cheese

• soycurls, rehydrated in broth and lightly coated with bbq sauce

• red onion, diced

• chopped cilantro

DIRECTIONS:

Calzone:

1. In a microwave-safe bowl, mix water and milk, then microwave for 45-60 secs.

2. In a stand mixer bowl, combine salt, yeast, sugar and flour.

3. Slowly add warm wet ingredients into the stand mixer bowl while kneading with the hook attachment until it forms into a ball.

4. Coat dough with aquafaba, and let sit x 1-1.5 hours to let it rise. (Tip: This is the perfect time to make your cheese sauce and prepare calzone fillings!)

5. Once the dough doubles in size, knead by hand and divide into 8 equal parts. (If you want bigger or thicker calzones, then divide into just 4 parts.)

6. Form each piece into a small ball, cover with a towel and let them sit for another 15-25mins.

7. Using a rolling pin, flatten each ball on a generously floured surface.

8. Add sauce, cheese and toppings, then fold the dough halfway and fold in the edges to seal.

9. Optional: lightly coat/brush dough with aquafaba before baking.

10. Bake on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper at 425 x 20mins. (If making 4 larger/thicker calzones instead of 8, bake at 435 x 25 mins.)

Cauliflower Cheese:

1. Boil chopped cauliflower in water until fork tender.

2. Using a blotted spoon, transfer the cauliflower into a blender.

3. Process cauliflower with all the other ingredients in a blender!

4. Transfer the mixture to sauce pot and put on medium heat, stirring frequently, until sauce thickens and starts to be stretchy.