Calzone Pockets Make Ahead Recipes

Steps:

• Place the frozen rolls (or frozen bread loaves) on a baking sheet to thaw. Cover with a tea towel and let thaw and rise for 2 to 3 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and allow to cook for a couple of minutes. Add the sausage and cook until brown, crumbling the sausage as you stir. Add the Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes. Remove from the skillet and allow to cool on a plate.
• In a separate bowl, combine the ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, salt, some pepper, parsley and 2 eggs.
• When the sausage is cool, stir it into the cheese mixture and set aside.
• When the rolls are thawed and risen, roll them out on a lightly floured surface until paper thin. Spoon 3 to 4 tablespoons of the filling onto half of the dough circle. Fold half of the dough over itself, and then press the edges to seal.
• Brush the surface of each calzone with the beaten egg, and then bake until nice and golden brown, 10 to 13 minutes. Serve with warm Marinara Sauce.
• Add a tablespoon or so of olive oil into a hot pan over medium-high heat and throw in the garlic and chopped onions and give them a stir.
• Now add the wine (or chicken broth), whisking to deglaze the bottom of the skillet. Cook until the liquid reduces by half.
• Add the crushed tomatoes and stir to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste and a pinch of sugar. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes.
• Toward the end of the cooking process, chop up your fresh parsley and basil and add it to the sauce to taste, stirring to combine.

Steps:

• Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees F. Sprinkle a baking sheet with the semolina and set aside.
• Lightly flour a work surface and roll the dough into a round that is about 12 inches wide and 1/2 inch thick. Cut out 8 rounds with a 3 1/2- to 4-inch biscuit cutter or drinking glass. Dust with flour and cover with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap.
• Beat the egg with 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl. Set aside.
• Combine the cheese blend, ricotta, 1/4 cup Parmesan, scallions and garlic powder in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Place 3 slices of the pepperoni on one half of each round of dough, leaving a 1/4-inch border around the edges. Top each round with 2 tablespoons of the cheese mixture.
• Brush the egg wash around the edges of one dough round using your finger or a pastry brush. Gently fold the dough over the filling to enclose and crimp the edges with a fork to seal. Repeat with the remaining dough rounds.
• Brush the tops of the calzones with the egg wash and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan.
• Place the calzones on the prepared baking sheet and bake on the middle rack until golden, 14 to 16 minutes, rotating the sheet halfway through for even baking.
• While the calzones bake, heat the tomato sauce in a medium saucepan over medium heat until bubbling, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl. Place the calzones on a platter with the sauce and serve immediately.

Steps:

• Set oven to 375 degrees.
• Spray aluminum pan, or cookie sheet, or glass baking dish with cooking spray.
• chop pepperoni.
• shred cheeses.
• mix all ingredients (except crescent rolls, of course).
• Unroll crescent rolls, place two together to form a rectangle.
• Place 1 level melon baller scoop (about a rounded or generous tablespoon) in the middle of the pocket.
• Fold one corner of the dough over to the other corner of the dough, seal the edges with a fork, making a pocket.
• Place pockets side by side in pan. It is okay, the sides can touch, wiggle them in there.
• You will wind up having several pans of these. If you have to keep reusing the same pans, just fill the pockets as they are ready to go into the oven, and leave the mix in the fridge. Either way, only bake them on one shelf of the oven. I found baking them on two shelves resulted in the bottoms of one set being undercooked and taking longer.
• Cook about 15 minutes. Check them. If they require a bit longer or a turn for a hot spot in your oven, do so, but check them every 1-2 minutes at this point, as they should be nearly done at this point.
• They are ready to eat now. Each person usually eats about two.
• For storing, bag each in a freezer safe baggie. They both refrigerate and freeze well and heat well in the microwave, though if you are microwaving from completely frozen, I'd use medium heat to defrost/heat them.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Spray baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
• Roll out the pizza crust, and cut it into 6 equal-sized squares.
• In the middle of each square, place a portion of the marinara sauce, shredded cheese, and 4 pepperoni slices.
• Fold the dough over into a triangle, and use a fork to press along the edges of the triangle to seal it closed.
• Place Calzones onto the prepared baking sheet.
• Brush the top of each Calzone with butter, then sprinkle with Italian seasoning and grated Parmesan cheese.
• Place in the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until tops are golden brown.
• Serve warm with extra pizza sauce for dipping.