Liver Calzones
Yeah, I said liver. If you just gave birth, you likely have had some blood loss so high-iron foods are a good focus in this time! Liver also contains vitamin A, choline, zinc, vitamin B12, and folate which are all beneficial in helping your body heal and - added bonus - they will transfer to the baby through your breastmilk as they will need all these nutrients, too!
There is a reason why when I present liver as a dish, I normally receive a grimace - that high iron content has a flavor! And it’s not necessarily pleasant. That’s why I like to cut it in half with ground beef, it really helps! Also, cutting the liver into the smallest pieces possible helps with getting a better mix of liver and beef.
Of course, seasoning this is the real savior. I wanted this to really feel like a hamburger style pizza and pay homage to the liver and onion classic. I like a good caramelized onion and tomato on my hamburger pizza. Along with the obvious Italian seasoning and cheese, I had to add one of my personal favorites: fennel. Not only is it delicious, but it also helps your body produce milk!
My advice: make these before the baby comes and stick it in your freezer. This will be the perfect lunch to pop into the microwave (or pre-heated oven if you have the time) when you have a baby wriggling in the other hand. It is (highly!!) nutritious and yummy!
Ingredients
1/4 lb beef liver (minced)
1/4 lb ground beef
2-3 tablespoons Olive oil
1/2 sweet onion (sliced)
3 + 1 garlic cloves ( minced)
2 teaspoons of Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon fennel
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1 teaspoon course salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
mozzarella cheese (I used a mix of mozzarella and swiss)
1/2 roma tomato (chopped)
14 oz. Pizza Sauce
Pizza dough for two pizzas (homemade or store bought)
Marinara for dipping (opt)
Liver Calzone Recipe
Makes 6-10 (depending on size)
Preheat your oven to 425°. Start heating olive oil in a sauté pan pan for caramelized onions. Mince the liver as small as you can. Slice the onion and chop tomato.
Once the oil is shimmering in sauté pan, add onion and a pinch of salt. Coat slices with the oil in the pan. Reduce the heat to medium. Add a pinch of sugar to the onions after about 10 minutes. Stir the onions every few minutes to prevent sticking to the pan. Try not to stir too often, they brown better when left alone. Onions can take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour to brown, When you are satisfied with the color and texture, set aside.
Coat a large skillet with oil and heat on medium-high. Add liver and beef to the hot pan. As meat browns, break the beef into smaller pieces then add the 3 cloves of garlic, fennel, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.
Once browned, turn down the heat to medium-low and pour full 14 oz. jar of pizza sauce into the pan. Add tomato. At this point, you can add any additional seasonings to taste.
Roll out pizza dough (I used the Pillsbury pizza crust in this recipe for an easy option, but it was not my favorite to work with! Very wet and difficult. I tried it again the next day with a homemade crust - much better). You want your calzone dough to be fairly thin, but not thin you can see through it. Cut the dough into squares (size as you wish). Layer cheese, sauce, onion, then cheese again diagonally on the dough square. Try not to overstuff!
Using a brush, paint the edges of the dough with either water or oil. Pick up the back corner of the dough and press into the front corner (covering the filling and creating a triangle). Press the sides together. Using a fork to press the edges can help the dough stick together - and it looks pretty!
In a small bowl, mix together a 1 clove of minced garlic, a teaspoon of course salt and 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil. Paint a thin layer onto the tops of the calzones. Cut a vent into the top of each calzone. Place onto greased (cornmeal is even better if you have some) sheet pan and cook until golden brown (around 10 to 15 minutes).
Enjoy hot with marinara to dip, or package to place in your freezer for a quick and delicious lunch!
