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1
Place 1/4 cup (60 ml) warm water in bowl of heavy-duty mixer.
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2
Sprinkle yeast over the water and stir to dissolve.
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3
Let stand 10 minutes.
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4
Add remaining 3/4 cup (175 ml) water, oil, salt, and then 3 cups (700 ml) of flour.
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5
Stir to combine.
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6
Attach dough hook to mixer and beat until dough pulls away from sides of bowl, about 2 minutes.
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7
Turn out dough onto lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, adding more flour if sticky (about 10 minutes).
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8
Lightly oil large bowl.
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9
Add dough, turning to coat.
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10
Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in warm, draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
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11
Drain eggplant and pat dry.
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12
Combine minced garlic and olive oil.
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13
Heat half of garlic-oil mixture in large, heavy skillet over medium heat.
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14
Add eggplant and saute until tender, about 8 minutes.
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15
Increase heat to high.
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16
Add vinegar and cook until almost no liquid remains in skillet, about 1 minute.
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17
Season to taste with pepper.
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18
Transfer to large bowl.
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19
Preheat oven to 450 degrees (225 C.) for 30 minutes.
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20
Mix cheeses together in bowl.
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21
Punch dough down.
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22
Divide into 4 pieces.
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23
Roll out 1 dough piece on lightly floured surface to 8-inch round.
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24
Brush dough with some of the garlic-oil mixture, leaving 1-inch border.
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25
1/4 Spread of cheese mixture over half of dough, leaving 1-inch border.
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26
Cover cheese with 1/4 of eggplant mixture, 1/4 of bell pepper, and 1/4 of sliced basil leaves.
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27
Brush edges of dough with water.
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28
Fold dough in half, covering filling, but allowing bottom edge of dough to show.
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29
Fold bottom edge over top edge and crimp to seal.
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30
Repeat with remaining dough, garlic-oil mixture, cheese mixture, eggplant mixture, bell pepper and sliced basil leaves, forming a total of 4 calzones.
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31
Cover calzones and let stand 15 minutes.
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32
Using large metal spatula, transfer calzones to baking stone** or PREHEATED baking sheet (remove from oven just in time to do this).
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33
Bake until brown and crisp, about 12 minutes.
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34
Transfer calzones to platter.
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35
Garnish with basil sprigs and serve.
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36
**Baking stones and tiles are available at cookware stores and many department stores nationwide.
