Sausage, Spinach and Ricotta Calzone

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Description

Italian sausage and spinach are a great combination!

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, or more if needed
  • 1 envelope Fleischmann’s® Pizza Crust Yeast
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • ⅔ cup very warm water (120 degrees to 130 degrees F)*
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 8 ounces Italian sausage
  • 2 cups fresh spinach leaves
  • ¼ cup water
  • ¾ cup ricotta cheese
  • ¾ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon Spice Islands® Italian Herb Seasoning
  • ½ teaspoon Spice Islands® Crushed Red Pepper
  • ½ teaspoon Spice Islands® Garlic Salt
  • Pizza sauce OR marinara sauce

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
  2. Make dough: Combine 1 cup flour
  3. yeast
  4. sugar
  5. and salt in a large bowl. Add very warm water and oil; mix until well blended
  6. about 1 minute. Gradually add enough remaining flour to make a soft
  7. slightly sticky dough ball. Knead on a floured surface
  8. adding more flour if needed
  9. until smooth and elastic
  10. about 4 minutes. Cover and let rest on the floured surface.
  11. While dough rests
  12. make filling: Cook and stir sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat until crumbly and browned
  13. 5 to 7 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove sausage to a paper towel-lined plate to drain; discard grease from the skillet. Add spinach and water to the skillet; sauté over medium heat until spinach is wilted
  14. 1 to 2 minutes; drain liquid. Return sausage to the skillet with spinach. Set aside.
  15. Combine ricotta
  16. mozzarella
  17. and egg in a mixing bowl. Stir in Italian seasoning
  18. crushed red pepper
  19. and garlic salt; set aside.
  20. Divide dough into 4 equal pieces. Roll 1 dough piece into an 8-inch circle on a floured surface. Spread about 1/3 cup ricotta mixture over the bottom half of dough
  21. leaving a 1/2-inch border. Top with heaping 1/3 cup sausage-spinach mixture. Fold the top half of dough over filling. Pull the edge of the lower crust over the top; fold and press layers together to seal. Transfer to a greased baking sheet; cut 3 to 4 vents on top. Repeat with remaining dough.
  22. Bake in the preheated oven until lightly browned
  23. 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer calzones to a wire rack to keep the bottom crust crisp while cooling slightly. Serve with pizza sauce for dipping.

Prep Time: 20 mins

Cook Time: 15 mins

Total Time: 35 mins

Servings: 4

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