As we slip into back-to-school mode, it’s always a good idea to have the freezer packed with simple suppers and snacks to reheat on busy weeknights. Calzones slide into this category perfectly.
If your family loves pizza (who doesn’t love pizza?!) then they’re sure to love its tasty cousin, the calzone, too. A calzone is like an enclosed pizza that has been folded over. The pizza dough is filled with an assortment of meat, cheese, vegetables, your usual pizza toppings, and it’s a great way to use up leftovers in the fridge.
I used Italian sausage, but cured meats like pepperoni or salami would also work. Peppers and sausage go hand in hand, but cooked greens such as spinach, chard, or kale would be terrific too. Ricotta cheese is a traditional add-in, and I rather like how it mellows out the spicy sausage filling. The melty mozzarella binds everything together and the olives bring a slight acidity that cuts through the richness of the meat and cheese. There is no sauce inside the calzone (it would make it soggy), so be sure to have plenty of marinara or pizza sauce on hand for dipping.
This recipe uses homemade pizza dough, but you can speed things up by buying premade dough at the deli. This recipe also makes a big batch, so you can eat some for dinner, then freeze the rest for future meals. Your future self will thank you!