Calzones are always a hit on the dinner table. Ours are made with a fresh ready-made pizza dough that is stuffed with creamy ricotta and arugula that has been cooked down with garlic and scallions. Parmesan cheese and a pinch of dried red pepper flakes add bite. Heirloom tomatoes sliced and simply dressed with olive oil and fresh basil is all this crowd-pleasing meal needs to feel complete. Cook, relax, and enjoy!
What You’ll Need:
1 large garlic clove
1 oz scallions
5 oz baby arugula
8 oz whole-milk ricotta
1 oz parmesan cheese
pinch dried red pepper flakes
15 oz fresh pizza dough
0.5 oz basil
1 large heirloom tomato
olive oil
coarse salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 large egg yolk
flour for rolling dough
Equipment: skillet
rolling pin
rimmed baking sheet
Recipe Steps:
-
Prep ingredients
Preheat oven to 450°F with rack in the middle of the oven. Peel and finely chop garlic. Remove root ends from scallions and finely chop. Grate parmesan cheese. -
Cook arugula
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet over medium- high heat. Add garlic and scallions and cook, stirring frequently until golden, 1 minute. Add arugula and cook, stirring frequently until wilted, 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat. -
Make filling
Stir together ricotta, parmesan , egg yolk, ¼ teaspoon salt, a few grinds of black pepper and the dried red pepper flakes until blended, then stir in arugula mixture. -
Form calzones
Lightly flour a work surface, then halve the pizza dough. Roll out each piece into a 6 x 9-inch oval with a rolling pin. Put one half of cheese filling on one side of each oval and fold dough over to enclose the filling and form a semicircle. Press edges together to seal. -
Seal edges
Beginning at 1 end and working toward the other, stretch sealed edge outward, then pinch and roll edge inward to form a rope. Drizzle oil on a baking sheet and spread to thinly coat. Place calzones on top. Bake until golden and puffed, 20 minutes. Cool on baking sheet 5 minutes before serving. -
Make tomato basil salad
Remove basil leaves from stems. Slice tomato. Layer tomato and basil leaves on a platter. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Serve with calzones.