Sausage and Pepperoni Calzone

As I've mentioned before, Matt and I usually make a homemade pizza once a week.  The pizza dough recipe makes enough for 2 pizzas, and even though I really think that we would be able to devour 2 pizzas on our own, I know that would not be very good for our waistlines!  So, I usually freeze the extra dough and either use it the following week to make another pizza or sometimes we like to change it up a bit and make calzones.

It almost seems silly to have a recipe for a calzone-like a pizza you can basically put whatever you like or have on hand in there.  This time, we added some sausage, pepperoni and other vegetables we happen to have on hand.  The recipe below is great to follow because it results in a perfectly golden crust. The secret is the egg wash-it makes the calzone become a nice shiny, golden brown color when it is baked.

Sausage and Pepperoni Calzone

1/2 recipe pizza dough
1 1/2 cups Chopped Cooked Sausage (I use spicy)

1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese

1 large egg

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 cup pepperoni slices

1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 cup chopped red peppers, cooked

1/4 cup chopped onions, cooked

1 large egg beaten with 1 teaspoon water to make an egg wash

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Combine the ricotta, egg, mozzarella, Parmesan, pepperoni, sausage, basil, garlic, peppers, onions, salt and pepper in a large bowl; stir to combine.

Roll out dough into a 14-inch circle. Place the cheese mixture onto half of the rolled-out dough.  Fold the dough over the mixture to make a half-moon, and seal the edges with the teeth of a fork. 

Transfer the calzone to a rimmed baking sheet that is lightly oiled or lined with parchment paper; brush with egg wash and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the crust is golden brown.  Remove from the oven, cut into slices, and serve. 

Inspired by Rao's Recipes from the Neighborhood