Cast-Iron Skillet Calzone

By á-25010

Cooking this ground beef recipe in a cast iron skillet transforms a calzone into a hearty kid-friendly casserole that satisfies six diners.

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef or uncooked ground turkey
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 (1-pound) portion fresh pizza dough* or one 1-pound portion frozen pizza dough, thawed
• 1/2 cup marinara sauce
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese or shredded Italian blend cheeses (8 ounces)
• 1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
• 1 cup chopped red, green, and/or yellow sweet peppers (2 small)
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
• 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• Marinara sauce, warmed
• Snipped fresh parsley and/or crushed red pepper (optional)
• Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Details

Servings 6
Preparation time 30mins
Cooking time 55mins

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 400°F. In a 9 1/2- to 10-inch cast-iron or ovenproof skillet cook ground beef and onion over medium heat about 5 minutes or until the meat is browned and onion is tender, using a wooden spoon to break up meat as it cooks. Drain off fat. Set meat mixture aside. Wipe skillet out with a paper towel; set aside to cool slightly.

On a lightly floured surface, divide pizza dough in half. Roll one dough portion to a 12-inch circle (if dough is hard to roll, let stand for 5 minutes and then roll out). Press dough circle into the bottom and up the sides of the skillet. Spread the 1/2 cup marinara sauce evenly over the dough. Top with meat mixture, mozzarella cheese, mushrooms, sweet peppers, oregano, and the 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper.

Roll the remaining dough portion into an 11-inch circle. Place dough circle over filling. Pinch edges of bottom crust and top crust together to seal. Using the tip of a sharp knife, cut slits in the top crust.

Bake about 25 minutes or until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Let stand for 5 minutes before cutting. Cut into wedges to serve. Serve with additional warmed marinara sauce. If desired, garnish with parsley and/or additional crushed red pepper. If desired, serve with Parmesan cheese.