Sausage Broccoli Calzone Recipes

SAUSAGE AND BROCCOLINI PIZZA POCKETS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
• To a medium skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil and heat until it begins to shimmer. Then add the sausage, cooking and breaking it up into crumbles with a wooden spoon until it begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer the sausage to a medium bowl with a slotted spoon and set aside to cool slightly.
• Add the garlic to the skillet. Stir to combine, being careful not to burn it (reduce the heat if necessary). When the garlic is fragrant and just translucent, add the broccolini and toss to coat in the garlic and olive oil. Cook until just tender, about 7 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.
• Meanwhile, to the medium bowl with the cooked sausage, add the mozzarella, ricotta, Parmesan, lemon zest and black and crushed red pepper to taste. Stir to combine.
• Divide the pizza dough into four equal parts and roll into balls. On a lightly floured work surface, flatten them into circles, about 1/4 inch thick. Spread them each with one-quarter of the cheese mixture, sausage and broccolini, leaving a 1-inch border around the edges. Fold them in half to make a calzone shape, pinch the edges to seal and then transfer the pizza pockets to a pizza peel, pizza stone or baking sheet, 2 inches apart. Bake until lightly browned on top, 10 minutes. Let cool slightly and serve with warm marinara sauce.

CALZONES STUFFED WITH BROCCOLI RABE AND SAUSAGE

Steps:

• For the calzone dough: In a small bowl, combine the yeast and sugar and whisk together with the warm water. Let sit for 15 minutes; when the water looks frothy and smells very yeasty, it's ready.
• In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, add the flours and salt. Pour in the yeast-water mixture and the olive oil. Mix to combine on medium speed. When a dough ball has formed, continue to knead until the dough is tight and not at all sticky, 5 to 6 minutes.
• Lightly oil a mixing bowl, place the dough in the bowl and cover with a tea towel or plastic wrap. Place the bowl in a warm place to let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Punch the dough down and let it rise again for 30 to 40 minutes. During the last rise, make the filling.
• For the broccoli rabe and sausage filling: Bring a pot of well-salted water to a boil and prepare a well-salted ice bath. Toss the broccoli rabe in the boiling water, swish around and then remove to the ice bath. Let cool and then coarsely chop.
• Coat a large saute pan with olive oil and bring to a medium heat. Add in the sausage and chop it up with the edge of large kitchen spoon. Cook until the sausage is brown and crumbled. Stir in the broccoli rabe and remove from the heat. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and stir in the ricotta and Parmesan. Taste to make sure it is delicious and set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• To assemble: Once the dough is rested, divide the dough into nine 2-inch balls. (Save 3 of the balls for another purpose.) On a lightly floured work surface, roll the 6 dough balls into 8-inch circles that are about 1/4-inch thick.
• Place about 3/4 cup of the filling on the bottom half of a dough circle. Brush the bottom half edge of the circle with the egg wash. Fold the top half of the circle over to ALMOST meet the bottom edge of the dough. Fold the bottom edge of the dough over the top edge and crimp it shut. Brush the top of the dough with the egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Repeat this process with rest of the dough and filling.
• Place the filled calzones on sheet trays and bake for 30 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature with tomato sauce if desired.

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

SAUSAGE BROCCOLI CALZONE

Steps:

• In a small skillet, cook sausage over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in sage., On an ungreased baking sheet, unroll dough starting at the seam; pat into a 14x12-in. rectangle. Spoon sausage lengthwise across center of dough. Sprinkle with broccoli and cheeses. Bring long sides of dough to the center over filling; pinch seams to seal. Turn calzone seam side down., Bake at 350° until golden brown, 20-25 minutes. Serve warm.

SAUSAGE AND RICOTTA CALZONES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 450°F. Divide pizza dough into 8 pieces. Roll out each into 8-inch round disk.
• To make filling, in 10-inch skillet, heat oil over medium to medium-high heat. Add onion and mushrooms; cook 5 to 7 minutes or until vegetables begin to soften. Add spinach; continue to cook about 2 minutes or until spinach wilts. Remove from heat; set aside.
• In large bowl, mix cooked sausage, ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, salt, nutmeg, pepper and onion-spinach mixture.
• To make each calzone, place filling in center of dough round. (Resist the temptation to overfill the dough.) Fold dough over; press edge and twist to seal. Place on ungreased cookie sheet.
• Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cut calzones in half to serve.