It’s still ricotta month, people!
Have you bought yours yet? Have you made some pasta or a pizza or dessert yet?
Well, if not, here’s another reason to grab some of this delicious Italian cheese: vegetarian calzones!
We made these a few months ago, and I was blown away.
All you need is some pizza dough and a few other things (ricotta, garlic, lemon, broccoli, basil, Parmesan, bell pepper if you have it), and you’re about to have an amazing Italian feast for two or four. These calzones are filling but still sophisticated with the light tang of lemon zest and some classic marinara to dip them in.
Who knew that homemade calzones were so easy?
I love to grab a Whole Foods pizza dough to make it even easier. You won’t believe how brown and crispy these babies get.
Enjoy!
Vegetarian Calzones
Try out these tasty and filling vegetarian calzones for an Italian treat.
Ingredients
- 1 small head of broccoli
- 4 tbs. olive oil
- 1 lb. prepared pizza dough
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella
- 1 cup ricotta
- 1/2 cup Parmesan, grated
- 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 lemon
- 1/2 cup basil leaves
- 1 egg
- jarred marinara
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 400° F. Trim end of stem from 1 head of broccoli, remove outside of stalk, then coarsely chop entire head of broccoli into ½" pieces.
-
Toss broccoli on a rimmed baking sheet with 3 tbs. oil and season generously with salt and some pepper. Roast, tossing once halfway through, until broccoli is browned all over and tender, 20–25 minutes. Let cool.
-
While broccoli is roasting, remove pizza dough from refrigerator and let sit at room temperature. Divide into 4 equal pieces and cover loosely with plastic wrap.
-
Combine mozzarella, ricotta, Parmesan and red pepper flakes in a medium bowl. Peel 1 garlic clove and grate on a microplane into bowl, then finely grate zest of 1 lemon into bowl. Add in thinly sliced basil leaves.
-
Season cheese mixture with salt, then scrape in roasted broccoli. Stir to incorporate. Drizzle 1 tbs. oil over same baking sheet and spread around to coat surface. Beat 1 egg in a small bowl.
-
Working one piece at a time, roll out dough on a floured surface to an 8" round. Brush a thin coating of egg wash around perimeter of dough. Spoon one-quarter of the cheese mixture onto one side of dough.
-
Fold empty half of dough down over filling and press firmly all around edge to seal the two sides to form a half-moon shape. Press firmly on seal. Repeat with the other calzones and transfer each to the prepared baking sheet, spacing evenly.
-
Brush dough all over with remaining egg wash, do a final crimp around edges and bake until golden brown (30-35 minutes). Cool (poke a small hole in each to let steam esacpe), then cut and serve with marinara.
