Rachael's Daytime Talk Show
Sausage & Cheese Calzones

Sausage & Cheese Calzones

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
  • 3/4 pound bulk Italian sweet sausage, casing removed
  • 3/4 pound bulk Italian hot sausage, casing removed
  • 1 large clove garlic, chopped
  • 3 cups whole milk ricotta cheese
  • 1/2 cup grated Italian cheese blend or shredded mozzarella
  • 2 tablespoons grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Romano
  • 3 sprigs thyme, stemmed and leaves chopped
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • Salt and pepper
  • Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1 ball of pizza dough from your favorite pizzeria
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour or cornmeal

Yields: 4 servings

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Preheat a medium-size skillet with 2 turns of the pan of EVOO, about 2 tablespoons. Once the skillet is hot, add the sausage and break it up with the back of a wooden spoon into small pieces. Cook until brown, about 4-5 minutes. Remove from the skillet with a slotted spoon to drain on a paper towel-lined plate and reserve.

Step

In a medium-size mixing bowl, combine the garlic, the cheeses, thyme and lemon zest, and season with a little salt and pepper. Add the reserved sausage to the bowl and a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg. Mix thoroughly to combine.

Step

Prepare the pizza dough (a cool, room temperature dough is easier to work with): Dust your hands and lightly coat the dough and your work surface with flour or cornmeal. Cut the dough into 4 equal pieces. With a rolling pin, roll out each one into an 8-inch circle. Working on just half of the surface of each circle, divide the filling between 4 pizza dough circles.

Step

Fold the other half of the dough over the top of filling and pinch the edges firmly to seal. Transfer the calzones to a parchment-lined cookie sheet.

Bake the calzones for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown all over. Serve calzones with warm Five-Minute Spicy Marinara alongside.