Hot & Fresh–Calzones

What do you make when you have all the fixings for pizza but want something other than a standard pizza?

Calzones!  Fast, fresh, and easy.  Possibilities are endless.

Calzones

Ingredients
Refrigerated pizza crust (I used Trader Joe’s whole wheat)
Sauce of your choice (pizza, pesto, salsa, etc.)
Fixings (meat, veggies, cheese)
Fresh herbs (basil, oregano)
Olive oil

Process
1.  Preheat oven to 450 degrees; spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray.
2.  Roll out dough into 4 thin ovals/circles.
3.  Spread sauce, sprinkle herbs, add ingredients.
4.  Fold together ends to make a pocket; pinch ends together.
5.  Place on the cookie sheet.
6.  Cut a few slits/air vents in the calzone.
7.  Lightly brush the top of each calzone with olive oil.
8.  Bake for 15 minutes.

Sauce, basil, pepperoni, spinach, mushrooms, cheese

A little trick to add extra protein–I mixed a small amount of cottage cheese into the pizza sauce.

 

Hot out of the oven. Sauce, turkey, mushrooms, basil, spinach, cheese.

My dad makes tasty home-made pizza and focaccia bread and uses the Dei Fratelli pizza sauce.  I found it at my local grocery store, stocked up, and used it in the calzones.  Wow – this is fresh and flavorful sauce!  I’m going to be on the hunt for more of their products.

Best sauce!

And this cooking post wouldn’t be complete without a cameo from my favorite kitchen helper who was on high alert in front of the oven.

Kitchen helper

I hope you’ll try making calzones–these are certainly going to be added to my regular kitchen repertoire!