Sausage Pepper Mozzarella Calzones Recipes

SAUSAGE CALZONES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 F.
• Brown sausage in a small skillet in a drizzle of olive oil. Transfer the cooked crumbled sausage to a paper towel lined plate to drain.
• Combine sausage with ricotta, parsley, garlic, Parmigiano, nutmeg, pepper, and pimento. Roll out doughs and halve cross-wise. Place a dough rectangle on a nonstick cookie sheet. Use 1/2 cup mozzarella on half of each dough rectangle and pile a mound of filling on half of the total area. Fold dough over and pinch edges to seal. The result is a rectangular turnover.
• For half-moon shaped calzones, trim excess dough. Roll dough bits into strips, tie in knots and brush with garlic oil and cheese. Garlic knots are fun to dip at the table.
• Bake calzones 15 minutes or until golden all over. Serve calzones with warm tomato, marinara, or pizza sauce for dipping.
• Cook's Note: For an additional time saver, 2 packages precooked sausage crumbles, 8 ounces each, may be substituted for raw Italian sausage used in the above recipe.
• Add olive oil to medium saucepan over moderate heat. Add garlic and crushed pepper to the heated olive oil; when pepper snaps and garlic sizzles, stir in crushed tomatoes. Season sauce with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Cook for five minutes and stir in parsley. Serve.
• Yield: 4 servings

CALZONES WITH CHEESE, SAUSAGE AND ROASTED RED PEPPER

Steps:

• Pour 1 1/2 cups warm water into large bowl. Stir in yeast. Let stand until yeast dissolves, about 5 minutes. Mix in oil and salt. Add 3 3/4 cups flour, about 1/2 cup at a time, stirring until blended. Turn dough out onto floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, sprinkling with more flour if sticky, about 10 minutes.
• Place dough in oiled large bowl; turn to coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rise in warm draft-free area until doubled, about 1 hour 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, char bell pepper over gas flame or in broiler until blackened on all sides. Enclose in paper bag and let stand 10 minutes. Peel, seed and slice pepper. Heat olive oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add red onions; sauté until brown, about 25 minutes. Set aside. Sauté sausage in heavy medium skillet over medium heat until cooked through, breaking into 1/2-inch pieces with spoon, about 15 minutes. Set aside. Mix both cheeses and oregano in bowl, season with salt and pepper.
• Position 1 rack in top third and 1 rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 400°F. Dust 2 baking sheets with flour.
• Punch dough down. Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth, about 1 minute. Divide into 4 equal portions; shape each into ball. Roll out dough balls on lightly floured surface to 9-inch rounds. Spread 1/3 cup cheese mixture over half of each round, leaving 3/4-inch border. Cover cheese on each with 1/4 of onions, 1/3 cup cheese mixture, 1/4 of sausage, 1/3 cup cheese mixture, then 1/4 of bell peppers. Fold plain dough halves over filling, forming half circles. Pinch edges of dough firmly together to seal.
• Using spatula, transfer 2 calzones to each prepared sheet. Pierce tops in several places with small knife. Bake calzones 15 minutes. Reverse baking sheets and bake until tops of calzones are golden brown, about 15 minutes longer.

SAUSAGE-ROASTED PEPPER CALZONE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 500 degrees, with a pizza stone placed on the lowest rack, for at least 30 minutes. Place parchment paper on a pizza peel.
• Mix tomatoes, garlic, and 2 teaspoons olive oil in a medium bowl until well combined; season with salt and black pepper, and red pepper flakes.
• Cook peppers over an open flame (on the stove or a grill) until skin is blistered and charred, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap; let steam 10 minutes. Once peppers are cool enough to touch, rub skin off using a paper towel. Remove stems and seeds; dice peppers.
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add sausage and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
• Add remaining tablespoon oil and onion to pan. Cook, stirring up brown bits, until golden, about 3 minutes. Return sausage to pan along with roasted peppers and tomato sauce. Bring to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and more crushed red pepper flakes, if desired.
• On a lightly floured work surface, roll each piece of dough into a 1/8-inch-thick circle, about 12 inches in diameter, with the edges of the dough slightly thinner than the center.
• Place one-quarter of the filling on half of each round. Top with one-quarter of the mozzarella and season with salt and pepper. Fold dough in half over filling and crimp as desired to seal. Place 2 calzones on prepared pizza peel and transfer to pizza stone along with parchment paper. Bake until dough is puffed and golden, and filling is hot, 10 to 15 minutes. Repeat with remaining 2 calzones. Serve immediately.