Calzone

Tonight was the first time I have ever made calzones and they were a big hit. They are definitely one of my favorites and so fun to make. Plus, with only two people in the house, calzones are easier to make than full pizzas. 


Calzones are great because they are another meal that can be personalized and can be made with whatever fillings you desire. I filled my calzone with homemade pizza sauce, pepperoni, spinach, green bell peppers and olives and my hubby filled his with homemade pizza sauce, BBQ sauce, mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, olives and pineapple.


The recipe for the homemade pizza sauce is also below. It is to die for! I found it online a long time ago but I don't remember where. It's the best pizza sauce I've ever had and it is so incredibly easy to make. You just throw it all in a blender, pulse and you're done!

Calzone


1 roll Pillsbury Original or Thin Pizza Crust
1/2 cup homemade pizza sauce (or Ragu sauce)
1/2 cup raw spinach
1 cup mozzarella cheese
8-10 Hormel pepperoni slices
1/2 cup green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup large black olives, sliced
1 egg, beaten

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Roll out pizza crust into a 6-inch circle and place on cookie sheet.

3. Spread homemade pizza sauce on one half of the dough, leaving a 1-inch margin between the sauce and the edge of the dough.

4. Layer with half of the cheese, pepperoni, spinach, bell pepper and olives and top with remaining cheese.

5. Fold dough over and pinch edges shut. Use a fork to smash down the edges to keep them closed.

6. Lightly brush the top with the beaten egg. If you don't have a basting brush, a fork works well. The egg gives the crust a nice golden brown color while cooking.
7. Cut three slits in the top of the calzone to allow heat to escape while cooking.

8.  Bake at 400 degrees for approximately 10-15 minutes or until dough is cooked thoroughly.

Serve with a side of warm pizza sauce

Tip: Build the calzones on the cookie sheet that you intend to cook the them on. They are difficult to move once they are full and the dough could easily tear. You don't want all that goodness to fall out the bottom. 

Homemade Pizza Sauce


1 (14 1/2 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
1/4 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp basil
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp onion powder
1 Tbsp sugar


Place all ingredients in a blender and pulse until it reaches desired consistency.