pizza pocket/tart help!!

[USAmma]

Okay you food gurus, can you help me out? I got these little contraptions for making tarts and pockets and I tried making pizza pockets again last night. I've made them before with a different tart-making thing and still no luck. The filling always runs out eventually, no matter how tight I seal the dough. On the few that the filling did stay in, they were all soggy on the bottom, even after being baked on my pizza stone.

It ocurred to me that maybe I should saute the veggies before I use them, in order to cook the water out of them. Would that make any difference? Also, I use regular pizza dough made in my bread machine. It rises a little with baking. Maybe I should use something else? With this last batch I left out the tomato sauce and just used cheese, bell peppers, and onions and they were still soggy and runny.

Thanks you all.

Darshani
NOT a kitchen goddess

[AmyG]

I make pizza pockets with pizza dough and marinara sauce. I just fold the dough over myself and press it together very tightly. It works best if I press the seams with a fork. Every once in a while the seams will burst, but not often.

Cutting slits in the top helps. That way steam can get out, but the slits aren't big enough that the filling will gush out.

[Arduinna]

watery vegies are probably part of the problem. I've found bell peppers and mushrooms the worst culprits. Also go light on any sauce inside. One way is to do it like traditional calzone. No sauce inside but serve sauce on the side.

I use regular pizza dough too. Oh and for soggy on the bottom I highly recommend using coarse ground cornmeal (regular will do also) just sprinkle it on your stone before baking. Makes a nice crisp crust. Oh and I always put the cooked pizzas (any kind) on a wooden board for cooling as soon as it comes out of the oven. Otherwise letting pizzas cool on the hot pan makes the crust soggy.

HTH

[USAmma]

Wow thanks for all the tips!!

Darshani