Spinach And Ricotta Cheese Calzone

We usually make pizza at least once a week in our pizza oven, but I also like to use my pizza dough for other oven baked treats to serve as snacks or for light lunches. I like to stuff my dough with my favorite fillings and roll it up and bake as in a stromboli, or fold a circle of dough over a savory filling to create a calzone.

When I make pizza dough, I usually make a double batch and then store the leftover dough in well wrapped balls in the freezer for future pizza nights, or to be used as I did in this spinach and ricotta cheese calzone. You can use my Favorite Pizza Dough for these calzone, or simply buy already made pizza or bread dough at your local grocery store. Calzones are very easy to make, and you can vary the fillings according to your own personal taste. I made individual calzones for lunch recently and wanted to keep them fairly healthy so I chose a ricotta cheese and spinach filling. I find that for a lunch sized calzone that about a 6 ounce ball of dough is just perfect. Add a nice mixed salad and you have a complete meal.

Spinach & Ricotta Cheese Calzone

Yield: Serves 2

    

Prep Time: 15 mins

Cook Time: 25 mins

A creamy cheese filling is encased in golden brown dough in these tasty baked calzone.

Ingredients:

1. 2 (6 Ounce) Balls Pizza Dough, Homemade or Store Bought
2. 5 Ounces Frozen Chopped Spinach, Thawed & Squeezed Well To Remove Excess Water
3. 1 Cup Ricotta Cheese
4. 1/2 Cup Grated Mozzarella Cheese
5. 1/4 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
6. Sea Salt & Cracked Black Pepper
7. Dash Of Red Chili Flakes
8. 1/3 Cup Diced Pancetta or Bacon, Cooked Until Crisp

To Bake:

• 1 Egg
• 4 Tablespoons Grated Parmesan Cheese

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. and lightly dust a baking sheet with cornmeal.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out each ball of dough into an eight to nine inch circle.
• In a bowl, mix together the spinach, ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
• Take half the filling and place on half of each of the dough circles leaving a 3/4 inch border around the edge.
• Fold the other half of the dough over the filling lining up the edges and pinch to seal.
• Place each calzone on the prepared baking sheet.
• Crack the egg into a small bowl, add a tablespoon of water, and beat with a fork until blended.
• Brush the egg wash over each of the calzone and then sprinkle with the grated Parmesan cheese.
• Bake the calzone for 20 to 25 minutes or until puffy and golden brown.