Calzone with Ricotta, Broccoli Rabe & Sausage

By



RICOTTA CALZONES WITH SAUSAGE AND BROCCOLI RABE
cooksillustrated

Published September 1, 2003.
Makes six 9 by 4-Inch Calzones.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
We discovered a few tricks when crafting our ricotta calzone recipe that gave us an exemplary ricotta calzone with a crisp crust and a rich, creamy, flavorful filling. We chose bread flour to give the crust chew and olive oil to add flavor and make the dough easy to handle; we then mixed the dough for 10 minutes to fully develop the gluten. A combination of ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan in just the right proportions, blended with a single egg yolk, gave us the best filling for our ricotta calzone recipe.

To make this recipe, you will need a standing mixer or food processor, parchment paper, and a pizza stone. The stone must heat for an additional 30 minutes once the oven has come up to temperature; if your oven heats slowly, begin heating it about an hour into the dough’s first rise. Leftover calzones must be refrigerated; to reheat, heat the oven with the pizza stone just as you did when making the recipe, then set the calzones on the hot pizza stone for about 10 minutes. A simple tomato sauce is a nice accompaniment to the calzones.


INGREDIENTS
Dough
4cups bread flour (22 ounces) plus additional for dusting work surface
2 1/4teaspoons instant yeast (1 envelope)
1 1/2teaspoons table salt
2tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2cups water plus 1 tablespoon (12 1/2 ounces), 105 degrees
Filling
8ounces hot or sweet Italian sausage
12ounces broccoli rabe , cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces, stalks trimmed to about 1 inch below leaves
3medium cloves garlic , pressed through garlic press or minced (about 1 tablespoon)
2tablespoons olive oil
1/4teaspoon red pepper flakes
15ounces whole-milk ricotta (1 container)
8ounces shredded fresh mozzarella (2 cups)
1 1/2ounces grated Parmesan cheese (about 3/4 cup)
1 large egg yolk
1tablespoon minced fresh oregano leaves
1/4teaspoon table salt
1/8teaspoon ground black pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil for brushing shaped calzones
Kosher salt for sprinkling
INSTRUCTIONS
1. FOR THE DOUGH (see below for food processor method): In bowl of standing mixer, whisk flour, yeast, and salt to combine. Attach bowl and dough hook to mixer; with mixer running at medium-low speed, add olive oil, then gradually add water; continue to mix until mixture comes together and smooth, elastic dough forms, about 10 minutes. Lightly spray large bowl with nonstick cooking spray; form dough into ball, transfer it to bowl, cover bowl with plastic wrap lightly sprayed with nonstick cooking spray, and let rise in warm spot until doubled in size, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

2. FOR THE FILLING: While dough rises, combine cheeses, egg yolk, oregano, salt,and black pepper in medium bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until needed.

Remove casing from sausage and cook in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat, stirring constantly with wooden spoon and breaking sausage into 1/2-inch pieces, until no longer pink, about 4 minutes; stir in 1 tablespoon pressed or minced garlic and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 10 seconds. Stir in broccoli rabe, 1 tablespoon water, and 1/8 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring constantly, until broccoli rabe is tender-crisp and water has evaporated, about 4 minutes. Transfer mixture to large paper towel-lined plate and cool to room temperature; once cooled, pat with paper towels to absorb excess moisture and set aside until needed.
4. Adjust oven rack to lowest position, set pizza stone on oven rack, and heat oven to 500 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and spray parchment lightly with nonstick cooking spray. Turn risen dough out onto unfloured work surface. Divide dough in half, then cut each half into thirds. Gently reshape each piece of dough into ball. Transfer to baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap lightly sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Let dough rest at least 15 minutes but no more than 30 minutes.

5. Cut eight 9-inch squares of parchment paper. Working with one piece of dough at a time and keeping other pieces covered, follow illustration 1 to roll dough into 9-inch round. Set round onto parchment square and cover with another parchment square; roll out another dough ball, set dough round on top of first, and cover with parchment square. Repeat to form stack of 3 rounds, covering top round with parchment square. Form second stack of 3 with remaining dough balls and parchment squares.

6. Remove top parchment square from first stack of dough rounds and place rounds with parchment beneath on work surface; if dough rounds have shrunk, gently and evenly roll out again to 9-inch rounds. To form the calzones, divide the sausage mixture evenly into 6 portions on plate; place 1 portion sausage mixture on top of cheese filling on dough round and follow illustrations 2 through 6. With pastry brush, brush tops and sides of calzones with olive oil and lightly sprinkle with salt. Trim excess parchment paper; slide calzones on parchment onto pizza peel or rimless baking sheet, then slide calzones with parchment onto hot pizza stone, evenly spacing them apart. Bake until golden brown, about 11 minutes; use pizza peel or rimless baking sheet to remove calzones with parchment to wire rack. Remove parchment, cool 5 minutes, and serve. While first batch bakes, form second batch and bake after removing first batch.

FOOD PROCESSOR METHOD: Made in an 11-cup cup food processor, the dough bakes up with slightly less chew than we like.

Alternative Step 1: Pulse flour, yeast, and salt to combine, about five 1-second pulses. While pulsing, add olive oil through feed tube, then gradually add water; continue pulsing until dough forms ball, then process until smooth and elastic, about 30 seconds. Turn dough out onto lightly floured work surface and knead by hand a few turns to form smooth, round ball. Transfer dough to oiled bowl and proceed from step 2.

STEP-BY-STEP
Making Calzones


1. With fingertips, press dough ball into 5-inch circle. With floured rolling pin, roll outward from center in all directions until dough forms 9-inch circle. If dough sticks, dust flour under it.


2. Place scant 1/2 cup cheese filling in center of bottom half of dough round. Using small spatula, spread/press filling in even layer across bottom half of dough round, leaving 1-inch border uncovered.


3. Fold top half of dough over cheese-covered bottom half, leaving 1/2-inch border of bottom layer uncovered.


4. With fingertips, lightly press around silhouette of cheese filling and out to edge to lightly seal dough.


5. Begining at one end of seam, place index finger diagonally across edge and gently pull bottom layer of dough over tip of index finger; press into dough to seal. Repeat until calzone is fully sealed.


6. With very sharp paring knife or razor blade, cut 5 slits, about 11/2 inches long, diagonally across top of calzone, making sure to cut through only top layer of dough and not completely through calzone.

View complete recipe

Ingredients

  • INGREDIENTS
  • Dough
  • 4 cups bread flour (22 ounces) plus additional for dusting work surface
  • 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast (1 envelope)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons table salt
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 1/2 cups water plus 1 tablespoon (12 1/2 ounces), 105 degrees
  • Filling
  • 8 ounces hot or sweet Italian sausage
  • 12 ounces broccoli rabe , cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces, stalks trimmed to about 1 inch below leaves
  • 3 medium cloves garlic , pressed through garlic press or minced (about 1 tablespoon)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 15 ounces whole-milk ricotta (1 container)
  • 8 ounces shredded fresh mozzarella (2 cups)
  • 1 1/2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese (about 3/4 cup)
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano leaves
  • 1/4 teaspoon table salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • Extra-virgin olive oil for brushing shaped calzones
  • Kosher salt for sprinkling

Preparation

Step 1

INSTRUCTIONS
1. FOR THE DOUGH (see below for food processor method): In bowl of standing mixer, whisk flour, yeast, and salt to combine. Attach bowl and dough hook to mixer; with mixer running at medium-low speed, add olive oil, then gradually add water; continue to mix until mixture comes together and smooth, elastic dough forms, about 10 minutes. Lightly spray large bowl with nonstick cooking spray; form dough into ball, transfer it to bowl, cover bowl with plastic wrap lightly sprayed with nonstick cooking spray, and let rise in warm spot until doubled in size, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

2. FOR THE FILLING: While dough rises, combine cheeses, egg yolk, oregano, salt,and black pepper in medium bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until needed.

Remove casing from sausage and cook in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat, stirring constantly with wooden spoon and breaking sausage into 1/2-inch pieces, until no longer pink, about 4 minutes; stir in 1 tablespoon pressed or minced garlic and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 10 seconds. Stir in broccoli rabe, 1 tablespoon water, and 1/8 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring constantly, until broccoli rabe is tender-crisp and water has evaporated, about 4 minutes. Transfer mixture to large paper towel-lined plate and cool to room temperature; once cooled, pat with paper towels to absorb excess moisture and set aside until needed.
4. Adjust oven rack to lowest position, set pizza stone on oven rack, and heat oven to 500 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and spray parchment lightly with nonstick cooking spray. Turn risen dough out onto unfloured work surface. Divide dough in half, then cut each half into thirds. Gently reshape each piece of dough into ball. Transfer to baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap lightly sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Let dough rest at least 15 minutes but no more than 30 minutes.

5. Cut eight 9-inch squares of parchment paper. Working with one piece of dough at a time and keeping other pieces covered, follow illustration 1 to roll dough into 9-inch round. Set round onto parchment square and cover with another parchment square; roll out another dough ball, set dough round on top of first, and cover with parchment square. Repeat to form stack of 3 rounds, covering top round with parchment square. Form second stack of 3 with remaining dough balls and parchment squares.

6. Remove top parchment square from first stack of dough rounds and place rounds with parchment beneath on work surface; if dough rounds have shrunk, gently and evenly roll out again to 9-inch rounds. To form the calzones, divide the sausage mixture evenly into 6 portions on plate; place 1 portion sausage mixture on top of cheese filling on dough round and follow illustrations 2 through 6. With pastry brush, brush tops and sides of calzones with olive oil and lightly sprinkle with salt. Trim excess parchment paper; slide calzones on parchment onto pizza peel or rimless baking sheet, then slide calzones with parchment onto hot pizza stone, evenly spacing them apart. Bake until golden brown, about 11 minutes; use pizza peel or rimless baking sheet to remove calzones with parchment to wire rack. Remove parchment, cool 5 minutes, and serve. While first batch bakes, form second batch and bake after removing first batch.

FOOD PROCESSOR METHOD: Made in an 11-cup cup food processor, the dough bakes up with slightly less chew than we like.

Alternative Step 1: Pulse flour, yeast, and salt to combine, about five 1-second pulses. While pulsing, add olive oil through feed tube, then gradually add water; continue pulsing until dough forms ball, then process until smooth and elastic, about 30 seconds. Turn dough out onto lightly floured work surface and knead by hand a few turns to form smooth, round ball. Transfer dough to oiled bowl and proceed from step 2.

STEP-BY-STEP
Making Calzones


1. With fingertips, press dough ball into 5-inch circle. With floured rolling pin, roll outward from center in all directions until dough forms 9-inch circle. If dough sticks, dust flour under it.


2. Place scant 1/2 cup cheese filling in center of bottom half of dough round. Using small spatula, spread/press filling in even layer across bottom half of dough round, leaving 1-inch border uncovered.


3. Fold top half of dough over cheese-covered bottom half, leaving 1/2-inch border of bottom layer uncovered.


4. With fingertips, lightly press around silhouette of cheese filling and out to edge to lightly seal dough.


5. Begining at one end of seam, place index finger diagonally across edge and gently pull bottom layer of dough over tip of index finger; press into dough to seal. Repeat until calzone is fully sealed.


6. With very sharp paring knife or razor blade, cut 5 slits, about 11/2 inches long, diagonally across top of calzone, making sure to cut through only top layer of dough and not completely through calzone.

View complete recipe