Sausage Spinach and Ricotta Calzone

Get baking success every time with recipes like the following, from Fleischmann's Yeast.


Sausage Spinach and Ricotta Calzone

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Servings: 4 calzones
Prep Time: 20 mins
Total Time: 40 mins
 
savings in
 
Ingredients
  •  
    Crust:
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  • 1-1/2 to 2  cups
    all-purpose flour
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  • 1  envelope
    Fleischmann'sŪ Pizza Crust Yeast
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  • 1  teaspoon
    sugar
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  • 3/4  teaspoon
    salt
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  • 2/3  cup
    very warm water (120 degrees to 130 degrees F)*
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  • 1  tablespoon
    oil
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  •  
    Filling:
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  • 8  ounces
    Italian sausage
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  • 2  cup
    fresh spinach leaves
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  • 1/4  cup
    water
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  • 3/4  cup
    ricotta cheese
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  • 3/4  cup
    shredded mozzarella cheese
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  • egg
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  • 1  teaspoon
    Spice IslandsŪ Italian Herb Seasoning
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  • 1/2  teaspoon
    Spice Islands Crushed Red Pepper
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  • 1/2  teaspoon
    Spice Islands Garlic Salt
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  •  
    Pizza sauce OR marinara sauce
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Directions
1.
PREHEAT oven to 375 degrees F.
2.
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.
3.
COOK sausage in skillet over medium-high heat until cooked through; remove from skillet and drain excess fat. Add spinach and water to skillet; saute 1 to 2 minutes until spinach is wilted; drain. Return sausage to pan.
4.
MIX ricotta, mozzarella and egg in a mixing bowl. Stir in Italian herb seasoning, crushed red pepper and garlic salt; set aside.
5.
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.

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