Sausage And Pepper Calzones Food

SAUSAGE CALZONES

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

SAUSAGE AND ROASTED PEPPER CALZONE

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.

SAUSAGE-ROASTED PEPPER CALZONE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 500 degrees, with a pizza stone placed on the lowest rack, for at least 30 minutes. Place parchment paper on a pizza peel.
• Mix tomatoes, garlic, and 2 teaspoons olive oil in a medium bowl until well combined; season with salt and black pepper, and red pepper flakes.
• Cook peppers over an open flame (on the stove or a grill) until skin is blistered and charred, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap; let steam 10 minutes. Once peppers are cool enough to touch, rub skin off using a paper towel. Remove stems and seeds; dice peppers.
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add sausage and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
• Add remaining tablespoon oil and onion to pan. Cook, stirring up brown bits, until golden, about 3 minutes. Return sausage to pan along with roasted peppers and tomato sauce. Bring to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and more crushed red pepper flakes, if desired.
• On a lightly floured work surface, roll each piece of dough into a 1/8-inch-thick circle, about 12 inches in diameter, with the edges of the dough slightly thinner than the center.
• Place one-quarter of the filling on half of each round. Top with one-quarter of the mozzarella and season with salt and pepper. Fold dough in half over filling and crimp as desired to seal. Place 2 calzones on prepared pizza peel and transfer to pizza stone along with parchment paper. Bake until dough is puffed and golden, and filling is hot, 10 to 15 minutes. Repeat with remaining 2 calzones. Serve immediately.