Sausage and Pepper Calzones
Photo: Randy Mayor; Styling: Cindy Barr
Coat your fingertips with flour as you crimp the calzones to prevent the dough from sticking. Use mild Italian chicken sausage, if desired.
How to Make It
Step 1
To prepare dough, lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine 1/2 cup flour, 1 cup warm water, yeast, and sugar in a large bowl; let stand 15 minutes. Gradually add 1 3/4 cups flour, 1 tablespoon oil, and 3/4 teaspoon salt; stir until a soft dough forms. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 8 minutes); add enough of remaining 1/2 cup flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands.
Step 2
Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 1 hour or until doubled in size. (Gently press two fingers into dough. If indentation remains, dough has risen enough.)
Step 3
To prepare filling, heat 1 teaspoon oil over medium-high heat in a large nonstick skillet. Add bell pepper, onion, garlic, and sausage; sauté 10 minutes or until tender. Spoon mixture into a bowl; cool slightly. Add mozzarella and remaining ingredients to sausage mixture; stir well.
Step 4
Preheat oven to 450°.
Step 5
Punch dough down; cover and let rest 5 minutes. Divide into 8 equal portions. Roll each portion into a 6-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Spoon about 1/2 cup sausage mixture onto half of each circle, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Fold dough over filling; crimp edges of dough with fingers to seal. Place calzones on a large baking sheet lined with foil and coated with cooking spray. Pierce the tops of the dough once with a fork. Lightly coat the calzones with cooking spray. Bake at 450° for 14 minutes or until browned. Remove from oven. Cool completely on a wire rack.
Step 6
Coat a sheet of foil with cooking spray. Place 1 calzone on coated side of foil; seal. Repeat procedure with remaining calzones and cooking spray. Place calzones in a heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag; freeze.
Step 7
Preheat oven to 450°.
Step 8
To reheat, place foil-wrapped, frozen calzones on a large baking sheet. Bake at 450° for 40 minutes or until thoroughly heated.
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steponme's Review
Used pizza yeast (to speed up dough making time) and half cup whole wheat flour in place of all white flour and it came out great. Also, added about 1/3 cup of julienned yellow squash and only used 12 ounces of sausage. Served with steamed broccoli and carrots; great calzones; will make these again.
Ruralcook's Review
Turned out great. Crust was crisp on the outside but chewy on the inside. Used Soy Italian sausage and frozen pepper mix from Trader Joes with a marinara sauce to save prep time. Made cheese ones for kids. The pepper flakes and other spices were perfect additions.
McHortonheiser's Review
I made this for step-grandkids and my two children and it was fun making them as a project. Also delicious - nice thing is I could eat the filling from recipe and for picky eaters they could make pepperoni/cheese calzones! Definitely recommend...am making dough now for my girlfriends who are coming for lunch.
tastan's Review
Very good! Made according to recipe except used low-fat hot Italian turkey sausage instead. Great when re-heated and eaten the second time around. My husband loved them.
cpalma's Review
I did not make the dough but the filling was great. I used spicy mango jalepno chicken sausage and premade refrigerated pizza dough. Yummy
cjmelt76's Review
We used crescent roll dough and Morningstar Farms soy Italian sausage, but otherwise made as directed.
Bunster's Review
I make these with carmelized red onions and fennel, bell peppers, and only 1-2 chicken sausage links, and i substitute pesto for the tomato sauce and it is delicious! it's a staple in our house and i change the veggie ingredients to suit the season.
Diplocook's Review
I have to agree with the other reviewers -- this is really a terrific recipe. My four-year-old was delighted to help roll out the dough, and crimp the calzones. He was even more delighted to dig in after they were baked! We subbed turkey pepperoni for the sausage as that's what we had on hand, and I increased the peppers and onions and garlic. Overall, an easy and great recipe.
herlittleway's Review
I am twenty years old and made these calzones for my eight member family--everyone loved them and they were remarkably easy to do. I followed the recipe's directions for the homemade pizza dough and I LOVED kneading it and rolling out the individual calzones. I made 16 individual calzones in about 30 minutes (from rolling out to crimping the edges). Substituted with Bob Evan's Italian sausage and ricotta cheese. Substitution worked splendidly!
EllieMae says YUM!