Recipe for cooking italian sausage calzones

Quick Meals- Salads and Wraps :: Savory Wraps

Italian Sausage Calzones

Source: American Dairy Association

1 1/4 lb. spicy Italian sausage
Dough
3/4 C. pizza sauce
4 C. (16 oz.) shredded Italian cheese blend
Garlic Butter

Dough
1 (16 oz.) pkg. hot roll mix
1 1/4 C. hot water
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

Garlic Butter
2 Tbsp. butter
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
1/4 C. shredded Parmesan cheese

For filling: Remove sausage from casing. Saut sausage in lrg. skillet, breaking up with fork, until sausage is cooked and browned, 5 to 8 min. Drain well and set aside.

For dough: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Make hot roll mix according to pkg. direction for pizza, replacing egg and butter with hot water and extra virgin olive oil. Let dough stand 5 min. Divide dough into 8 pieces. Roll each piece into an oval about 5 by 7 in.. Place 1/4 C. of Italian cheese blend in center of each oval. Top with 1/3 C. cooked sausage. Spoon 1 Tbsp. pizza sauce over sausage. Sprinkle with another 1/4 C. cheese. Bring up edges of dough and seal securely. Transfer calzones to lightly greased baking sheet, placing seam side up to form a "football" shape. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.

Set calzones in a warm place to rise, covered with towel, 25 min. Bake until browned lightly, about 20 min.

For Garlic Butter, in a sm. skillet, heat butter and garlic over low heat until butter is melted and garlic is tender, about 3 min. Remove calzones from oven when browned lightly. Brush hot calzones with garlic butter and sprinkle each with 1/2 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese (see note). Return to oven until cheese melts, about 2 min. Let stand 5 min. before servings.

Makes approximately 8 servings.

NOTE: Calzones can be baked and refrigerated up to 2 days in advance. Reheat at 350 degrees F until hot, about 20 min.