Italian Sausage and Ricotta Calzone
This one has been on the list for awhile. Handmade Italian sausage and ricotta calzone is the personal pizza recipe to make ahead, freeze, make for dinner —on repeat. Stuffed with spicy Italian sausage, garlicky spinach and a smattering of ricotta cheese, this classic Italian meat calzone makes the perfect dinner. And so good reheated in the air fryer the next day for lunch!
Servings 6 calzones
Equipment
Ingredients
For the calzone dough
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour plus more for dusting; can use bread flour
- 2 ¼ cups "00" flour or pizza flour;
- ½ teaspoon instant yeast generous
- 4 teaspoons kosher salt I used Diamond Kosher; otherwise use 2 teaspoons if using Morton's Kosher salt
- 2 cups warm water about 105° or so
- cornmeal for sprinkling for sprinkling pizza peel
For the filling
- 3 links Italian sausage casing removed
- 1 ½ cup ricotta divided
- 12 slices provolone cheese divided; sharp preferred; I use Boar's Head from the deli case
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2-3 cloves garlic peeled and thinly sliced
- 10 oz baby spinach leaves per sauteed spinach and garlic recipe (without the lemon)
- kosher salt
- ground black pepper
Instructions
For the dough
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and yeast together. Next, stir in the salt. Pour in the water and mix with either a wooden spoon or a stand mixer (fitted with the paddle attachment) on low until combined. The dough will be shaggy.Cover the bowl with plastic wrap first and then cover with a clean dish towel to rise overnight for 12-18 hours.2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, 2 ¼ cups "00" flour, ½ teaspoon instant yeast, 4 teaspoons kosher salt, 2 cups warm water
- The next day, sprinkle a generous tablespoon of flour or so on a clean counter. Remove the dough to the counter. (It might be pretty loose)Gently pull the far side edge of the dough towards you over top of the dough. Next, pull the closest side over top the opposite way and repeat from side to side. Add flour as needed in 1 Tablespoon increments so that the dough isn't sticking to the board.
- Cut into 6 even pieces and shape into rounds. Place on a floured sheet pan and cover lightly with plastic wrap to rise for another hour.If you don't plan on using all the dough, I recommend place each in its own ziploc bag and let rise in the bag for another hour (at least). Freeze or refrigerate the dough you don't plan to use.
For the filling
- Heat a medium skillet over medium high heat until warm. Crumble in the sausage and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the sausage is browned about 8 minutes or so.Remove the sausage to a paper-towel lined plate to drain. Set aside to cool.3 links Italian sausage
- To the same skillet, heat over medium low and drizzle in about 2 T of olive oil. When heated, add in the thinly sliced garlic and allow to sizzle for about two minutes. Lower the heat if the garlic is browning too quickly. You only want it to flavor the oil and the spinach.Fill the skillet with the spinach by the handful, tossing as you incorporate it into the hot oil and garlic. Season with a good sprinkle of salt and pepper. The spinach will start to wilt within 30 seconds. Keep tossing until it's as you like but remove it a few seconds before you think you should as it'll continue to cook.2 Tablespoons olive oil, 2-3 cloves garlic, 10 oz baby spinach leaves, kosher salt, ground black pepper
Form the calzone
- Preheat oven to 425°. I recommend using a baking stone or pizza steel. Place in the oven as it preheats and as you make the calzones. If you don't have a baking stone or pizza steel, then preheat a cast iron skillet in the oven.
- Remove one calzone dough round from the bag. It will be pretty soft. Flour the counter or a cutting board. Depending on the humidity, if the dough is sticking pretty well to the bag, it's a sign it might need a little more flour so sprinkle over some and work it in until it feels smooth but still very stretchy. It shouldn't stick to the board.Start at the center use your fingers to shape the calzone into a flat circle about 7-8" in diameter and ¼" thick.
- Draw an imaginary line across the circle of dough. On one half spread 1/4 cup of ricotta cheese leaving about ¼" rim on the edge of the dough. Tear up a piece (or 2) of provolone and place on the ricotta. Sprinkle over ⅙ of the spinach followed by ⅙ of each of the sausage and parmesan cheese.1 ½ cup ricotta, 12 slices provolone cheese, 6 Tablespoons parmesan
- Stretch the unfilled side of dough over the filled side. Pinch or roll the edge seam closed. You can also use a fork to crimp the edges.
- Cut slits in the top near the center so steam can escape. Make sure the calzone slides on the board and if needed because it's now heavier, sprinkle a little more flour between the calzone and the board.
- Brush any excess flour off the top with a pastry brush.Use the brush to paint on some beaten egg all over the calzone. Sprinkle with parmesan and some flaky sea salt. Place unbaked finished calzone on a pizza peel sprinkled with cornmeal and carefully slide the calzone onto the preheated baking stone.Bake until golden on top about 25 minutes and the edges are crisp. Serve with some homemade marinara dipping sauce on the side.cornmeal for sprinkling, 1 egg
Notes
- I highly recommend using a baking stone to make/bake pizzas and calzones.
- If you can't find/don't have "00" flour, you can use all AP or bread flour.
- Unused dough can be frozen up to 3 months.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator wrapped in plastic wrap and then a sealed bag for up to 3 days.
- Reheat in a 350° oven for about 10 minutes until warmed through.
