Italian Sausage Calzone Recipes

Steps:

• Unroll pizza dough onto an ungreased baking sheet; pat into a 14x11-in. rectangle. Spread pizza sauce over 1 long side of dough to within 1/2 in. of edges. , Layer the spinach, sausage, mushrooms and cheese over sauce. Fold dough over filling; pinch seams to seal. , Bake at 400° for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand for 10-15 minutes before slicing. Freeze option: Freeze cooled unsliced calzone in a freezer container. To use, place calzone on an ungreased baking sheet, cover with foil and reheat in a preheated 375° oven 10 minutes. Uncover; bake until heated through.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400°F.
• Crumble sausage into large skillet sprayed with cooking spray; cook until evenly browned, stirring frequently. Drain.
• Unroll pizza dough onto 12-inch pizza pan sprayed with cooking spray; press dough to evenly cover bottom of pan.
• Spread ricotta onto half the dough to within 1 inch of edge; top ricotta with pasta sauce, shredded cheese and sausage. Fold dough in half to enclose filling. Press edges together to seal. Brush dough with milk; sprinkle with Parmesan. Cut slits in top to vent steam.
• Bake 20 min. or until crust is golden brown. Cool slightly. Meanwhile, heat remaining pasta sauce as directed on label.
• Cut calzone into slices.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400°F.
• Crumble sausage into large deep skillet; cook on medium heat until evenly browned, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Stir in mushrooms and jalapeño slices.
• Unroll pizza dough onto baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray; pat into 12-inch round.
• Spread meat mixture onto half the dough to within 1 inch of edge; top with cheese and pasta sauce. Fold dough in half; seal edges with fork. Cut 2 to 3 slits in top of dough to vent steam. Brush crust with milk; sprinkle with cheese.
• Bake 20 to 25 min. or until golden brown.

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

Steps:

• Heat oven to 450°F. In 10-inch skillet, cook sausage and onion over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sausage is no longer pink; drain. Stir in mushrooms and 1/2 cup of the pizza sauce; cook until thoroughly heated.
• In medium bowl, stir Bisquick mix, boiling water and oil until dough forms (add additional tablespoon of water if needed). Place dough on surface sprinkled with Bisquick mix; roll in Bisquick mix to coat. Shape dough into a ball; knead about 10 times or until smooth. Roll dough into 12-inch round.
• On ungreased cookie sheet, place dough round. Top half of dough with sausage mixture to within 1 inch of edge. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over sausage mixture. Fold dough over filling; press edge with fork to seal. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
• Bake 14 to 18 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from cookie sheet to cutting board. Cool 5 minutes before cutting into 6 wedges. Heat remaining pizza sauce; spoon over each serving.

Steps:

• To Make Dough: In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Add the oil, sugar and salt; mix in 1 cup of the flour until smooth. Gradually stir in the rest of the flour, until dough is smooth and workable. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface for about 5 minutes, or until it is elastic. Lay dough in a bowl containing 1 teaspoon olive oil, then flip the dough, cover and let rise for 40 minutes, or until almost doubled.
• To Make Filling: While dough is rising, combine the ricotta cheese, Cheddar cheese, pepperoni, mushrooms and basil leaves in a large bowl. Mix well, cover bowl and refrigerate to chill.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• When dough is ready, punch it down and separate it into 2 equal parts. Roll parts out into thin circles on a lightly floured surface. Fill each circle with 1/2 of the cheese/meat filling and fold over, securing edges by folding in and pressing with a fork. Brush the top of each calzone with egg and place on a lightly greased cookie sheet.
• Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 30 minutes. Serve hot.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Combine 1 cup flour, undissolved yeast, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Add very warm water and oil; mix until well blended, about 1 minute. Gradually add enough remaining flour to make a soft dough. Dough should form a ball and will be slightly sticky. Knead** on a floured surface, adding additional flour if necessary, until smooth and elastic, about 4 minutes. Cover and let rest on floured surface while preparing filling.
• Cook sausage in skillet over medium-high heat until cooked through; remove from skillet and drain excess fat. Add spinach and water to skillet; saute 1 to 2 minutes until spinach is wilted; drain. Return sausage to pan.
• Combine ricotta, mozzarella and egg in a mixing bowl. Stir in Italian herb seasoning, crushed red pepper and garlic salt; set aside.
• To make calzones divide dough into four portions. Roll 1 portion into an 8-inch circle on a floured surface. Spread approximately 1/3 cup ricotta mixture in center bottom half of dough. Top with heaping 1/3 cup sausage spinach mixture leaving outer 1/2-inch free of filling. Fold top half of dough over filling. Pull edge of lower crust over top; folding and pressing layers together to form a seal. Carefully transfer to greased baking sheet. Cut 3 to 4 vents in top. Repeat with remaining dough. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until lightly browned. Transfer to cooling rack to keep bottom crust crisp while cooling slightly. Serve with pizza sauce or other sauce for dipping.

Steps:

• Oil a large bowl with 2 tablespoons oil, place pizza dough in bowl turning once, let warm to room temperature.
• In a 12 inch skillet on medium heat, heat 2 tablespoons of oil.
• Remove casings from sausage links, break up meat into small pieces, and brown in skillet for 5 minutes.
• Add diced potatoes, stir, and cover, Cook for 12 minutes, stirring every 3 minures. Cover skillet between stirring.
• Prepare 15 1/2 inch by 10 1/2 inch rimmed baking pan by oiling pan with 2 tablespoons oil.
• with remaining oil, oil rolling pin, and surface for rolling dough.
• Divide dough in half and roll out to a 9 inch circle.
• spoon half of potato mixture onto half of circle. Drizzle 3 tablespoons marinara sauce on top.
• Fold other half of dough over, meeting edges. Roll and crimp edges to seal well. Cut 3 gashes on top of dough for steam vents.
• Repeat with other portion of pizza dough. Place calzones on prepared pan.
• Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.
• To serve, cut each calzone in half, serve with remaining marinara sauce.

Steps:

• Allow both crust pouches to stand at room temperature 15 to 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in large skillet brown sausage with onions and garlic; drain. Stir in basil, Italian seasoning and pepper. In small bowl, beat eggs with fork. Reserve 1 1/2 tablespoons; set aside. Add ricotta cheese to remaining eggs; mix well. Stir into sausage mixture. Add mozzarella cheese, red peppers and 3 tablespoons of the pine nuts; mix well.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
• Remove crusts from pouches; unfold. Press out fold lines. If crusts crack, wet fingers and push edges together. Place one prepared crust on end of large ungreased cookie sheet with about 1/3 of crust hanging over edge. Spoon half of sausage mixture over half of crust on cookie sheet, leaving about 1-inch border and mounding filling towards center. Fold pie crust half over filling; press edges with fork to seal. Cut four 1-inch slits in top of crust. Repeat with second crust and remaining filling at opposite end of cookie sheet. Brush with reserved 1 1/2 tablespoons egg. Sprinkle with remaining pine nuts.
• Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until crust is golden brown. To serve, cut each calzone in half or into 3 wedges.

Steps:

• Divide dough into 16 portions.
• Preheat oven to 425°F.
• Grease a baking sheet.
• Heat a large skillet over medium heat, add sausage.
• Cook until brown and crumbly, drain fat.
• Stir onion, garlic, basil, oregano, and pizza sauce into skillet, simmer for 10 minutes.
• Roll each dough piece into a 5in circle.
• Spoon sausage mixture onto each circle, sprinkle with cheeses.
• Moisten edges of dough with water.
• Fold dough over to enclose filling, press to seal.
• Place on prepared baking sheet.
• Beat eggs with milk.
• Brush over calzones.
• Bake for about 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Steps:

• In a large 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. Freeze option: Freeze cooled baked calzones in resealable plastic freezer bags. To use, reheat calzones on a greased baking sheet in a preheted 350° oven until heated through.