We’re doing something a little different here, folks:
Pairing loaded mashed potatoes…
… with pizza dough.
Yes, that’s right.
Loaded mashed potatoes.
And pizza dough.
With some sharp cheddar thrown in on for good measure.
Think mashed potatoes (American) meets pierogi (Polish) meets calzone (Italian).
If that’s not enough to entice you, perhaps the fact that there are three types of cheese in these calzones will. Creamy goat cheese is pureed into the mashed potatoes, sharp cheddar is draped over top, and tangy blue cheese is stirred into thick Greek yogurt to make the perfect accompanying sauce for dipping… because any good calzone is made even better when paired with a dipping sauce.
It’s cheese mashed into starch tucked into starch topped with cheese served with cheese; and it is gooooood.
I dare you to look at the following succession of melting cheese photos and not want to make these calzones tonight:
Turns out, different tastes fantastic!
Loaded Mashed Potato Calzones
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Keywords: bake pizza main potatoes cheese
Ingredients (4 calzones)
For the Calzones:
- olive oil
- 1 lb ball whole wheat pizza dough, at room temperature and divided into 4 equal portions
- flour, for rolling dough
- 2 cups coarsely mashed baked potato flesh, at room temperature
- 4 slices applewood smoked bacon
- 1/4-1/2 cup milk (I used organic 1%)
- 1/4 cup crumbled soft goat cheese
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1/4 cup diced chives
- 1 cup freshly shredded 50% reduced fat cheddar cheese
For the Blue Cheese Dip:
- 1 cup 2% plain Greek yogurt
- 2 Tbsp milk
- 2 Tbsp freshly crumbled blue cheese
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- garlic powder/granulated garlic, to taste
Instructions
Preheat oven to 450°F. Lightly grease a rimless baking sheet with olive oil.
Heat bacon in a large skillet over medium/medium-high heat. Cook until crisp on both sides, about 7-10 minutes; drain on paper towels and chop.
In food processor (or bowl) process (or mash) the potato flesh with the milk (start with 1/4 cup and increase if necessary) and goat cheese until desired consistency is reached. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Fold in the chopped cooked bacon and diced chives with a spoon or rubber spatula.
On a clean lightly floured surface, roll out each of the 4 portions of dough to about 7 inches in diameter. Transfer dough circles to prepared baking sheet.
Spoon 1/4 of the mashed potato mixture onto half of one dough circle. Top with 1/4 cup cheese.
Repeat step 5 with remaining dough circles.
Bring the unfilled half of each calzone over the filling and crimp to seal. Using a knife, cut a few slits in the top of each calzone to let steam out while cooking.
Bake calzones for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool for a few minutes before serving.
While calzones bake, prepare the blue cheese dip: combine yogurt, milk, and blue cheese in a small food processor (or bowl) and pulse (or stir) just until combined; you want some of the blue cheese crumbles to be visible. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and garlic.
*Preheat oven to 400°F. Place a large russet potato directly on the rack of preheated oven. Bake for 60 minutes, or until slightly soft when squeezed. Let cool for 10 minutes, cut open, and scoop out flesh. Measure out 2 cups.
