Step By Step

Sausage and Pepper Calzones

STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY RENÉE KOHLMAN

As we slip into back-to-school

mode, it’s always a good idea to have the freezer packed with simple suppers and snacks to reheat on busy weeknights. Calzones slide into this category perfectly.

If your family loves pizza (who doesn’t love pizza?!) then they’re sure to love its tasty cousin, the calzone, too.

A calzone is like an enclosed pizza that has been folded over. The pizza dough is filled with an assortment of meat, cheese, vegetables, your usual pizza toppings, and it’s a great way to use up leftovers in the fridge.

I used Italian sausage, but cured meats like pepperoni or salami would also work. Peppers and sausage go hand in hand, but cooked greens such as spinach, chard, or kale would be terrific too. Ricotta cheese is a traditional add-in, and I rather like how it mellows out the spicy sausage filling. The melty mozzarella binds everything together and the olives bring a slight acidity that cuts through the richness of the meat and cheese. There is no sauce inside the calzone (it would make it soggy), so be sure to have plenty of marinara or pizza sauce on hand for dipping.

This recipe uses homemade pizza dough, but you can speed things up by buying premade dough at the deli. This recipe also makes a big batch, so you can eat some for dinner, then freeze the rest for future meals. Your future self will thank you!

Sausage and Pepper Calzones

Makes 8 large calzones or 16 small Whole Wheat and Honey Pizza Dough:

2 Tbs active dry yeast 1 cup (250 mL) warm water (110°–120° F) 3 cups all-purpose flour 2 cups whole wheat flour ¼ cup (60 mL) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for bowl 2 Tbs (30 mL) liquid honey 1½ tsp salt

Pizza dough

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, use a spoon to stir the yeast into 1 cup (250 mL) warm water (110°–120° F) until it dissolves. It should get foamy and froth up. This will take about 5 minutes. If your yeast doesn’t froth up, you’ll have to start over with a new package of yeast. Add the remaining dough ingredients, plus 1 cup (250 mL) of cool water to the bowl. 2. Knead on medium-low speed for 5–6 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. Or you can knead the dough by hand for about 7 minutes. Place the dough in a large greased bowl, turning to coat, and cover with a clean tea towel. Let rise in a warm, draft-free spot until the dough has doubled in size, about 50–60 minutes. 3. Punch down the dough and divide into eight equal portions. I like to use a scale for this part. If you don’t want to make your own dough, you can purchase 1.35 kg of pizza dough from the deli. 4. Line 4 baking sheets with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 450º F. Lightly flour your work surface and roll each piece of dough into an 18 cm circle. Place the circle on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Note: In my oven, 2 trays (4 large calzones) can be baked at once. I’ll put these in the oven while I assemble the remaining four.

Toppings: 500 g Italian sausage, casings removed 2 red and/or yellow bell peppers, diced 1 small red onion, diced 1 tsp smoked paprika ½ tsp salt ¼ tsp pepper Pinch red pepper flakes 1¾ cups (425 mL) ricotta cheese 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese 1 cup sliced black olives 1 large egg plus 1 Tbs (15 mL) water for egg wash ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese 1 Tbs Italian seasoning or a combination of dried oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary 2 cups (500 mL) marinara or pizza sauce (homemade or store bought), for serving

Filling

1. While the dough is rising, prepare the filling. In a large skillet, cook the sausage over medium-high heat until no longer pink, using a wooden spoon to break it up into crumbly pieces. 2. Stir in the peppers, onions, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cook until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Season to taste. Remove from the pan and drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Let cool completely before assembling the calzones. 3. Spread about 3 Tbs of ricotta cheese onto half of the dough, leaving a 2.5 cm border. Spoon a heaping 1/3 cup of the sausage mixture on top of the ricotta. Add some olives and top with some mozzarella cheese. 4. Fold over the dough so the curved edges line up, making a semicircle. Pinch the edges together to seal. Repeat with remaining dough and fillings. 5. Using a sharp knife, cut 3 slits into the top of each calzone, to allow steam to escape. Brush egg wash all over the tops of the calzones, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and dried herbs. 6. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. If making smaller calzones, the cooking time will be around 12-15 minutes. I like to rotate the pans from top to bottom at the halfway point to ensure even browning. Let the calzones cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack before slicing in half. Serve with warm marinara sauce for dipping.

To freeze baked calzones:

Wrap individual calzones in plastic wrap then place into a resealable plastic bag. Freeze for up to 1 month. To reheat, place thawed calzones in a 350º F oven for 5-7 minutes or until hot inside. Can also reheat in the microwave for a couple of minutes. Don’t freeze uncooked calzones.

Renée Kohlman is a busy food writer and recipe developer living in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Her debut cookbook All the Sweet Things was published last year.