Vegetable and Sausage Calzone - folded Pizza

Calzone is folded pizza.  You can fill it with anything you like.  I have filled it with ricotta and spinach, made it vegetarian with zucchini, eggplant, peppers and onions and Italian cold cuts and cheeses.  Today I am filling ours with  Italian turkey sausage zucchini, mushrooms, peppers chopped Italian parsley and mozzarella cheese.  Once again my choices are made by what my family likes and what I have in the house.
Today's Calzone was not the prettiest I ever made but as it was completely devoured at dinner I don't think anyone minded (or noticed for that matter)

Tip of the Day:  Make your dough and leave it to rise.  Do not wash your processor.  Put the cheese cubes in and process until ground.   Wash the processor after you have put the cheese into the Calzone.

When I clean my boards and knives after cutting raw meats I wash them once and repeat the process washing them a second time to insure I they are clean and free of bacteria.

Turkey Sausage and Vegetable Calzone


Ingredients


Dough
1 tablespoon yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup hot tap water

3 cups flour
1/3 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon salt

approximately 1 cup hot tap water

Filling
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 lb Hot Italian Turkey Sausage sliced
1 red pepper cut into chunks
1 zucchini halved and sliced
2 cups sliced mushrooms (I prefer brown but white are fine)
1 teaspoon Oregano
1 teaspoon Basil
1/2 cup Passata
2 cups shredded or ground Mozzarella cheese cut in cubes

1/2 cup chopped parsley

Olive oil for brushing

Instructions
In a measuring cup dissolve yeast and sugar in 1/4 cup hot water
Meanwhile add flour, salt and olive oil to the food processor fitted with the metal blade.
When yeast is foamy start processor.  While machine is running add yeast mixture.  With machine still running add hot tap water until the dough forms a ball around the blade.
Remove dough and place in a greased bowl (a little olive oil in the bottom and swish the dough around to cover it).  Cover the bowl with plastic and let rest in a warm spot in your kitchen.

Dough before rising

Dough after it has risen

Process cheese in food processor with steel blade until ground

Meanwhile heat a large skillet.  Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sausage.  Cook on medium until sausage is no longer pink. Add vegetables and cook until they are softened.  Add oregano and basil and cook for one minute.  Add Passata and cook until heated through.

Cooked Filling

Turn off heat and remove pan from burner.  Let sit until cool.
When dough has doubled in size (about 1 hour)
Heat oven to 400
Roll dough out to an 16" circle on a lightly floured board
Fill one side of the dough with sausage mixture and top with cheese leaving a 1 inch border.  Fold the dough over the filling and pinch the edges to seal.
Carefully slide the dough onto a pizza pan  (with holes if possible) which has been sprayed with Pam.
Brush olive oil over the Calzone.
Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes until brown.

Filling and cheese on dough

       

Calzone