Calzone Pockets Make Ahead Recipes

EASY CALZONES

Steps:

• Place the frozen rolls (or frozen bread loaves) on a baking sheet to thaw. Cover with a tea towel and let thaw and rise for 2 to 3 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and allow to cook for a couple of minutes. Add the sausage and cook until brown, crumbling the sausage as you stir. Add the Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes. Remove from the skillet and allow to cool on a plate.
• In a separate bowl, combine the ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, salt, some pepper, parsley and 2 eggs.
• When the sausage is cool, stir it into the cheese mixture and set aside.
• When the rolls are thawed and risen, roll them out on a lightly floured surface until paper thin. Spoon 3 to 4 tablespoons of the filling onto half of the dough circle. Fold half of the dough over itself, and then press the edges to seal.
• Brush the surface of each calzone with the beaten egg, and then bake until nice and golden brown, 10 to 13 minutes. Serve with warm Marinara Sauce.
• Add a tablespoon or so of olive oil into a hot pan over medium-high heat and throw in the garlic and chopped onions and give them a stir.
• Now add the wine (or chicken broth), whisking to deglaze the bottom of the skillet. Cook until the liquid reduces by half.
• Add the crushed tomatoes and stir to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste and a pinch of sugar. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes.
• Toward the end of the cooking process, chop up your fresh parsley and basil and add it to the sauce to taste, stirring to combine.

CALZONE POCKETS MAKE AHEAD

Steps:

• Set oven to 375 degrees.
• Spray aluminum pan, or cookie sheet, or glass baking dish with cooking spray.
• chop pepperoni.
• shred cheeses.
• mix all ingredients (except crescent rolls, of course).
• Unroll crescent rolls, place two together to form a rectangle.
• Place 1 level melon baller scoop (about a rounded or generous tablespoon) in the middle of the pocket.
• Fold one corner of the dough over to the other corner of the dough, seal the edges with a fork, making a pocket.
• Place pockets side by side in pan. It is okay, the sides can touch, wiggle them in there.
• You will wind up having several pans of these. If you have to keep reusing the same pans, just fill the pockets as they are ready to go into the oven, and leave the mix in the fridge. Either way, only bake them on one shelf of the oven. I found baking them on two shelves resulted in the bottoms of one set being undercooked and taking longer.
• Cook about 15 minutes. Check them. If they require a bit longer or a turn for a hot spot in your oven, do so, but check them every 1-2 minutes at this point, as they should be nearly done at this point.
• They are ready to eat now. Each person usually eats about two.
• For storing, bag each in a freezer safe baggie. They both refrigerate and freeze well and heat well in the microwave, though if you are microwaving from completely frozen, I'd use medium heat to defrost/heat them.

PERFECT EVERY TIME PIZZA OR CALZONE DOUGH

Steps:

• Mix 1/2 cup lukewarm water and yeast together in a bowl. Let stand until yeast softens and begins to form a creamy foam, about 5 minutes.
• Combine 1/2 cup water, olive oil, honey, and salt in a separate bowl; add 1 cup flour and mix well. Mix yeast mixture into flour mixture. Add remaining flour, 1 cup at a time, until dough is well combined.
• Knead dough on a floured work surface until dough is soft, smooth, and elastic, about 8 minutes. Roll dough into 4 calzone shapes.