Sausage Calzones
Taste of Home
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My husband, Tom, and I both enjoy cooking Italian food. We took the filling we usually use for ravioli and wrapped it in a dough to make these excellent calzones. The Italian sausage blends so beautifully with the cheeses and spinach.
-Janine Colasurdo, Chesapeake, Virginia
SERVINGS: 6
CATEGORY: Main Dish
METHOD: Baked
TIME: Prep: 35 min. + rising Bake: 20 min.
Ingredients:
- 1 package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast
- 1/2 cup warm water (110° to 115°)
- 3/4 cup warm milk (110° to 115°)
- 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
- 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 3 to 3-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 pound bulk Italian sausage
- 1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
- 1 carton (15 ounces) ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoons cornmeal
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1-1/2 cups pizza sauce, warmed
Directions:
In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Add the milk, 2 tablespoons oil, salt, sugar and 2 cups flour; beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.
Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl; turn once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook sausage over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Add the spinach, cheeses, parsley and pepper; mix well.
Punch dough down; divide into six pieces. On a floured surface, roll each piece into an 8-in. circle. Top each with 2/3 cup filling. Fold dough over filling; pinch to seal.
Place on greased baking sheets sprinkled with cornmeal. Brush tops lightly with remaining oil; sprinkle with garlic salt. Bake at 400° for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with pizza sauce. Yield: 6 servings.