Easy Calzone

Serve these with a fresh Spinach Salad, Garlic Mashed Potatoes or a batch of healthy Roasted Vegetables and you’ll have a delicious dinner served in no time.

Easy Calzones Recipe
My family LOVES making homemade pizza, so we make a different variation almost weekly. The kids are always at my side when we make our pizzas because they like to control the ingredients. And that’s a beautiful thing with homemade pizza recipes – you add what you want and skip what you don’t!

As a mom to four kids, I’m always looking for easy dinners I can throw together in a hurry.  These Quick and Easy Calzones are one my my kids’ favorite meals!

My kids love helping me roll out the pizza dough and selecting their own fillings to put inside their calzone.

These homemade calzones are great as a quick weeknight dinner or a tasty appetizer for your next party!

This homemade calzone recipe is a fun twist on a classic pizza. It starts with your favorite pizza dough (homemade or store-bought) and then you add the toppings of your choosing. But the difference comes in the presentation – the dough get braided before you bake it and the end result looks impressive!

You can fool your family and dinner guests into thinking you’re some gourmet chef, but the reality is that these calzones are SO EASY to make! (But that can stay our little secret!)

HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE CALZONES:
It doesn’t get much easier than these Quick and Easy Calzones.  Using a store-bought pizza crust makes these absolutely foolproof and allows you to throw them together in a matter of minutes.

Easy Calzone Recipe

Start by spraying a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray and set it aside while the oven heats to 400˚ F.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out your store-bought pizza dough then cut it into 6 equal-sized squares.

In the middle of each square, spread some marinara, shredded mozzarella cheese and pepperoni.

Fold each square of pizza dough in half to form a triangle, then press the edges together with a fork to seal them.

Brush the top of each calzone with some melted butter, then sprinkle on Italian seasoning and grated parmesan cheese.  This topping is so delicious and flavorful!

Place each calzone on the prepared pan then bake for 10-12 minutes or until they turn golden brown.

We love to serve these easy pepperoni pizza calzones with some warm marinara or ranch dressing for dipping.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 whole medium onion, diced
• 1 pound breakfast or Italian sausage
• 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 15 ounces whole milk ricotta
• 1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Black pepper
• 2 whole eggs plus 1 whole egg, beaten
• All-purpose flour, for dusting
• Marinara Sauce, warmed, for serving, recipe follows
• Marinara Sauce:
• Olive oil
• 3 to 4 whole cloves garlic, minced
• 1 whole small to medium onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup white wine (or chicken broth)
• Three 15-ounce cans crushed tomatoes
• Salt and ground pepper
• Pinch sugar
• Fresh parsley leaves
• Fresh basil leaves

Directions

1. Place the frozen rolls (or frozen bread loaves) on a baking sheet to thaw. Cover with a tea towel and let thaw and rise for 2 to 3 hours.
2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
3. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and allow to cook for a couple of minutes. Add the sausage and cook until brown, crumbling the sausage as you stir. Add the Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes. Remove from the skillet and allow to cool on a plate.
4. In a separate bowl, combine the ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, salt, some pepper, parsley and 2 eggs.
5. When the sausage is cool, stir it into the cheese mixture and set aside.
6. When the rolls are thawed and risen, roll them out on a lightly floured surface until paper thin. Spoon 3 to 4 tablespoons of the filling onto half of the dough circle. Fold half of the dough over itself, and then press the edges to seal.
7. Brush the surface of each calzone with the beaten egg, and then bake until nice and golden brown, 10 to 13 minutes. Serve with warm Marinara Sauce.
8. Marinara Sauce:
9. Add a tablespoon or so of olive oil into a hot pan over medium-high heat and throw in the garlic and chopped onions and give them a stir.
10. Now add the wine (or chicken broth), whisking to deglaze the bottom of the skillet. Cook until the liquid reduces by half.
11. Add the crushed tomatoes and stir to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste and a pinch of sugar. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes.
12. Toward the end of the cooking process, chop up your fresh parsley and basil and add it to the sauce to taste, stirring to combine.

Cook’s Note

• If you want a larger calzone, use frozen bread loaves and use one-quarter to one-third of the loaf for each calzone.

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