I love finding quick and easy recipes that I can throw together in less than 30 minutes. Usually when I make pizza or calzones it can take quite a bit of time, but then I discovered sausage crumbles and I was challenged to create a fun and hassle free recipe.
First of all, I love these because they are turkey sausage, which means they are much healthier than the pork version. On top of that, they are fully cooked, so there's no wasted time in browning the sausage. I use these crumbles for omelets, quiche, pizza and now calzones! It really cuts your cooking time in half.
Now back to the calzones - While preheating the oven, sauté your onions and spinach on the stove. Once cooked, add in the sausage to warm it. In a large bowl, mix together your cheeses, salt, italian seasoning and an egg.
Line a pan with parchment paper and spread a thin (or thick) refrigerated pizza dough over it. Stir the sausage mixture into the cheese mixture. Spoon the calzone filling onto half of the crust.
Fold the other half of the crust on top of the filling and use a fork to seal the edges. If you like more "edge" on your calzone, I suggest cutting the dough in half and making two separate calzones!
Beat an egg and brush it over the calzones. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the crust is a golden brown.
Slice the calzone into individual portions and serve with your favorite tomato sauce! True calzones do not have sauce inside of them. These take less than 30 minutes to make. They are an easy and delicious option for a simple dinner or even a fast lunch. Enjoy!
Sausage, Spinach & Ricotta Calzones
serves 4
1 refrigerated pizza crust (I used thin, but you can also use thick)
1 cup frozen chopped onion
1 cup frozen chopped spinach
1 1/2 cups Jimmy Dean turkey sausage crumbles
16 oz part skim ricotta cheese
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 tsp italian seasoning
1/4 tsp salt
2 eggs
Tomato sauce (for dipping)
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a pan with parchment paper. Open your refrigerated crust and stretch across the pan.
2. In a large skillet over medium high heat, sauté the onions and spinach until cooked. Add in the sausage and stir until warm. Turn off the stove. In a bowl, mix together the ricotta, parmesan, and mozzarella cheeses. Add in the italian seasoning and salt. Once mixed, add in one of the eggs and stir thoroughly.
3. Add the sausage mixture into the cheese bowl and stir. Spoon the filling onto half of the crust. If you want more "edge" on your calzone, cut the dough in half and make two separate calzones. Fold the other half over the mixture to create a pouch. Use a fork to seal the edges. Beat the other egg in a small bowl and brush over the calzone. Sprinkle parmesan cheese over the top.
4. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes and then slice into individual servings. Serve with tomato sauce for dipping if desired.
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