Sausage Calzone

A calzone is a savory Italian turnover made with pizza dough and filled with the same cheeses and toppings used atop pizza.

Recipe Ingredients:

1/2 pound fresh hot Italian sausage
Olive oil cooking spray
1 (10-ounce) tube refrigerated pizza crust
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed

Filling:
2 tablespoons chopped fresh red pepper
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Cooking Directions:

1. Squeeze sausage from the casings into a heavy skillet. Over medium heat, sauté sausage, breaking sausage into small pieces. Cook until sausage is no longer pink.
2. Remove sausage pieces from pan with a slotted spoon and drain well on clean paper towels. Blot dry with additional paper towels.
3. Lightly spray an 11x7 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
4. Unroll dough and position in the baking dish with half of the dough falling to the side. Gently press dough into corners and to cover the dish bottom. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon rosemary.
5. Crumble cooked sausage and sprinkle 1 cup sausage over the dough.
6. Fold dough over sausage filling, covering completely. Seal edges.
7. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup sausage and 2 tablespoons peppers atop dough.
8. Combine garlic powder, herbs and salt in a small bowl. Sprinkle over dough.
9. Bake in a preheated 400°F (205°C) oven for 18 to 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve hot.

Makes 4 servings.

Recipe provided courtesy National Hot Dog and Sausage Council.