Waffle Calzones

So, what do you do in the summer when you want pizza, but you really don't want to turn on the oven? (Or in my case, you can't because your oven is out of commission.) You pull out your waffle iron, of course! I used my calzone recipe without modification, other than how it was cooked.

And I actually like the texture better of these waffles, the iron gives it a perfect crust! And they are really fun for kids!

Waffle Calzones
1 1/4 cup warm water
1 tablespoon fast-rising yeast
1 tablespoon honey (or agave)
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
3 cups GF flour blend
1 teaspoon salt
1/4-1/2 cup additional warm water
Pizza Sauce
Pizza Toppings (pepperoni, cheese (daiya cheese), Canadian bacon, veggies, etc)

Directions:
Preheat waffle iron (I set mine to the highest setting, but it may be because I have a cheap crappy waffle iron). In a small bowl mix together water, yeast, honey, oil, and vinegar.  Let sit for 5 minutes to proof.

In a stand mixer, combine flour and salt.  Add in the yeast mixture and mix on low until combined.

Add in enough additional water to make the dough sticky but stay together as a ball.  This won't be the typical gluten-free bread dough which is a thick, sticky batter.  It's does actually resemble regular bread dough, but is quite a bit sticky. Some days I don't need to add anything, other days I could add up to a 1/4 cup to get the right consistency.

Once the consistency is right, mix it on high speed for 3-5 minutes.

Place the dough on parchment paper that has been sprinkled with GF flour. Divide the dough into 4 equal portions and form each into a ball. Roll out each ball into a circle about 1/8" thick and about 9-10" in diameter. (note: I made the calzones one at a time, because it meant moving that dough, just once)

Top one half of the dough with a little pizza sauce and toppings of your choice, making sure to leave space around the edges to seal it.

Fold the dough over and press the edges together.

Transfer the prepared calzone to the greased waffle iron and cook for ~8 minutes or until the calzone is cooked through (cook times will very much depend on your waffle iron). Prepare the next calzone, while the first is cooking.

Serve with additional pizza sauce, or ranch in my families case.

Makes 4 large calzones (which was just enough for 2 adults and 2 hungry little boys).

This post was shared on Allergy Friendly Wednesdays, Waste Not Want Not Wednesdays, and Gluten Free Fridays.

Allergy Friendly Bread (i.e. free of the top 8 allergens and more!)

I have my favorite bread recipes that I utilize frequently in my house...my Teff Sandwich Bread is my go to bread for sandwiches and such, I like my Sorghum Millet Bread for Sunday dinner rolls.  But when a friend approached me about finding a bread that would meet their families needs, I realized I needed to add a recipe that would help families that have several allergies, not just a few like our family.

My friend's little boy has an allergy list that is longer than I can list, but it includes wheat, eggs, soy, dairy, rice, corn, nuts, seeds, and much more. My friend is still nursing her son, so she doesn't eat anything on his allergen list either, and was trying to find some foods that they could both enjoy. So I set out to make them some bread.  The result ended up being a slight modification to my sorghum millet bread and it turned out fantastic.  It does go stale quickly, like most homemade gluten free breads, but can easily be brought back to life by toasting or microwaving for a few seconds.

This recipe isn't vegan, because of the honey and the gelatin, but probably could be made vegan by subbing in agave or maple syrup for the honey and agar powder for the gelatin.  I haven't tested the agar powder, so adjustments may need to be made to give the texture you want.

Just a note, when proofing the yeast, mix all of the wet ingredients together making sure to dissolve the yeast in the water. It should look like this after it has proofed for a few minutes:

The bread comes out soft and chewy, and most importantly bendable and sturdy...so it can hold up to plenty of sandwich toppings!

Allergy Friendly Sandwich Bread
1 1/4 cup warm water
1 tablespoon yeast
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon vinegar
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup sorghum flour
1/4 cup millet flour
2/3 cup potato starch
2/3 cup tapioca starch
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons xanthan gum or guar gum
2 teaspoons (or one packet) unflavored gelatin

Directions:
In a small bowl mix together water, yeast, honey, oil, and vinegar.  Let sit for 3-5 minutes or until yeast is dissolved and beginning to proof.

In a mixing bowl, stir together dry ingredients.  Add the yeast mixture to the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until combined.  Once combined, mix on high speed for 3-5 minutes.

Grease a medium (~8"x4") loaf pan. Pour the batter into the pan, smooth the top with wet fingers or a wet spatula. Cover and let rise in a warm, humid environment for 20 minutes. (If you are like me and live in a dry, cold environment, do the following:  heat a very wet tea towel in the microwave until it is piping hot (I microwave mine for 2 minutes).  Quickly open the microwave, place the loaf of bread inside and place the hot towel on top and shut the microwave again.  It should stay warm and moist in there for 20 minutes.

As the bread is rising, preheat the oven to 400F.

Bake for 50-60 minutes, covering with aluminum foil after the first 10 minutes.  After 50 minutes, check the internal temperature of the bread.  It is done when it reaches ~205F.

The bread will last a couple of days on the counter/in the fridge.  If you don't plan on eating it that fast, slice it and freeze it.


This post was shared on Allergy-Free Wednesdays, Waste Not Want Not Wednesdays, and Gluten Free Fridays.