These mini vegan calzones (aka pizza pockets) are simple to prepare and make awesome on-the-go lunches or are great treat paired with a luscious salad for a weeknight meal.
Measure all your dry ingredients in a medium sized mixing bowl. In a large mixing cup, combine olive oil and warm water (just slightly warm! Hot water will kill your yeast!)
Mix your dry ingredients together well, then pour in the water/oil mixture, using a fork to mix until dough until it becomes too heavy.
Use your hands to knead the dough for 2-3 minutes (in the bowl or on the counter as you prefer).Pour a drip of olive oil into the bowl to coat the bowl. Roll your dough ball in the bowl, coating it’s surface slightly as well.
Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel and put in a warm place to rise.
Make your sauce, shred your vegan cheese and prep and other fillings. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
After letting the dough rise for approximately 30 minutes, divide the dough into four equal parts, and then divide each quarter into equal halves, creating a total of 8 pieces.
Roll each piece into a ball shape and place aside, ready to prep. Lightly flour or pan spray your working surface.Use your fingers or rolling pin (I prefer my fingers) to quickly press and stretch dough into an oval shape.
Spread about 1 tablespoon of pizza sauce, sliced olives, shredded cheese, and a sprinkle of oregano over the bottom half of the calzone, leaving ½ inch edge clear of sauce or filling.
Fold the top half of the calzone dough over the bottom half.
Use a fork to press the edges tightly together. Then fold the edges up and in, pressing them in firmly with your fingertips. Make a couple tiny slits in the top of the calzone for air escape.
Place on a parchment covered or pan-sprayed baking tray and bake 15-20 minutes at 425 degrees or until just beginning to brown.
Remove from the oven and brush with a bit of olive oil. Sprinkle on garlic salt if you like!Return the calzones to the oven for a couple more minutes until surface is lightly browned.
Give those beauties a couple of minutes to cool…and enjoy!!!
Notes
Pro Cooking Tip:You don’t need to 'proof' the yeast since this recipe calls for ‘instant’ yeast. If you don’t have ‘instant’ yeast, but only ‘active dry yeast’, you can still use that but you need to add the yeast to the oil and water mixture first, and wait 5-10 minutes to make sure it reacts. Then proceed with the recipe as normal.
HOW CAN I STORE MY VEGAN CALZONES?
Let your mini vegan calzones cool to room temp before placing in an airtight container.They’ll keep in the refrigerator for at least 5 days and you can keep them in the freezer for up to 3 months! Just warm in the oven (375 degrees for 15+ min) for a crispy crust, or in the microwave for a softer but more immediate result!