Number four in the Salmon Recipe Challenge. Savory salmon in a creamy cheese mixture enhanced with red bell peppers and spinach; all neatly wrapped in a warm Parmesan crust.

The salmon challenge was intended for Jack. After all, he is the master chef. But after a night of studying (I’m going for a master’s in education technology), I relaxed by surfing cooking and baking blogs where I came across a photo of a delicious-looking calzone. “Wouldn’t a salmon stuffed calzone be divine?” I thought.

I would start this recipe by saying that we dusted off our favorite mechanical kitchen device, our Zojirushi bread machine, but the truth is this machine never has time to collect dust. We use it once a week on slow weeks and more frequently than that on most weeks. We love our Zojirushi bread machine so much that we wrote a review on it for the company from which we bought it. Among the advantages a good bread machine offers is that it solves the often vexing problem of having the right environment for dough to rise.

The calzone dough is a standard pizza dough recipe adapted from the book 300 Best Bread Machine Recipes by Donna Washburn and Heather Butt.

Dough Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1/4 nonfat dry milk
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 4 cups bread flour
• 1 tsp yeast

1. Measure ingredients into baking pan in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select dough cycle.
2. Remove dough to a lightly floured board. Cover with a large inverted bowl and let rest for 10 – 15 minutes. Divide dough into 10 portions. Roll out each into a 6-inch circle and let rest.
3. Prepare filling.

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped fine
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 2 generous handfuls of fresh spinach, cleaned and stemmed
• 1 fillet salmon, approximately a pound
• 8-oz. brick of cream cheese, softened (simply leave out at room temperature)
• 3/4 cup ricotta cheese
• 1 1/2 cups grated Swiss cheese
• 2 tsp dry tarragon
• 2 tsp dry oregano
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

4. In medium skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and sauté for 4 – 5 minutes. Add bell pepper; sauté for 3 – 4 minutes until crisp-tender. Add garlic and spinach and cook until spinach is wilted. Set aside.

7.  Place filling on one half of each circle. Fold calzone over, sealing the edges tightly with your fingertips making a scalloped edge. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in volume, 30 – 45 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

8. When calzones are formed, brush with 2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil and sprinkle with 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese.

9. Bake in preheated oven for 20 – 25 minutes, or until the calzones sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.

These calzones were terrific out of the oven. They make great lunches, too.