Sausage Spinach and Ricotta Calzone

Print Recipe

Yield

4 calzones

Difficulty

Intermediate

Prep Time

0:20

Bake Time

15 to 20 minutes

Ingredients

Crust
1-1/2 to 2 cups all-purpose flour
1 (2-1/4 tsp.) envelope Fleischmann's^® Pizza Crust Yeast
OR Fleischmann’s^® RapidRise^® Instant Yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup very warm water (120° to 130°F)*
1 tablespoon oil
Filling
8 ounces ( g) Italian sausage
2 cups fresh spinach leaves
1/4 cup water
3/4 cup ricotta cheese
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 egg
1 teaspoon Italian herb seasoning
1/2 teaspoon red crushed pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
Pizza sauce OR marinara sauce

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°F.
Combine 1 cup flour, undissolved yeast, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Add very warm water and oil; mix until well blended, about 1 minute. Gradually add enough remaining flour to make a soft dough. Dough should form a ball and will be slightly sticky. Knead** on a floured surface, adding additional flour if necessary, until smooth and elastic, about 4 minutes. Cover and let rest on floured surface while preparing filling.
Cook sausage in skillet over medium-high heat until cooked through; remove from skillet and drain excess fat. Add spinach and water to skillet; sauté 1 to 2 minutes until spinach is wilted; drain. Return sausage to pan.
Combine ricotta, mozzarella and egg in a mixing bowl. Stir in Italian herb seasoning, crushed red pepper and garlic salt; set aside.
To make calzones, divide dough into four portions. Roll 1 portion into an 8-inch circle on a floured surface. Spread approximately 1/3 cup ricotta mixture in center bottom half of dough. Top with heaping 1/3 cup sausage spinach mixture leaving outer 1/2-inch free of filling. Fold top half of dough over filling. Pull edge of lower crust over top; folding and pressing layers together to form a seal. Carefully transfer to greased baking sheet. Cut 3 to 4 vents in top. Repeat with remaining dough. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until lightly browned. Transfer to cooling rack to keep bottom crust crisp while cooling slightly. Serve with pizza sauce or other sauce for dipping.
Recipe Tip: For a crisper crust, lightly brush calzones with olive oil and sprinkle with coarse salt just before baking.
*If you don't have a thermometer, water should feel very warm to the touch.
**To knead the dough, add just enough flour to the dough and your hands to keep the dough from sticking. Flatten dough and fold it toward you.Using the heels of your hands, push the dough away with a rolling motion. Rotate dough a quarter turn and repeat the "fold, push and turn" steps. Keep kneading dough until it is smooth and elastic. Use a little more flour if dough becomes too sticky, always working the flour into the ball of dough.

Sausage Spinach and Ricotta Calzone

Sausage Spinach and Ricotta Calzone

Yield

Difficulty

Prep Time

Bake Time

Ingredients

Directions

Yeast 101

Tips & Tricks

Techniques & How‑Tos

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