Spinach Artichoke Calzones

Ingredients

• 2 cups part skim ricotta
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated or a few pinches ground
• A few grinds black pepper
• 1/2 cup (a couple of handfuls) grated Parmigiano, plus extra, for sprinkling
• 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
• 1 (15-ounce) can quartered artichoke hearts, drained and coarsely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 (10-ounce) tubes refrigerated pizza dough
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella
• Garlic oil (1 or 2 cloves chopped and heated in 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil)
• 2 cups tomato sauce, marinara or pizza sauce, for dipping or Five Minute Spicy Marinara, recipe follows

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Combine first 7 ingredients in a bowl. Roll each pizza dough out on a cookie sheet, and halve each cross-wise. Spread 1/2 cup mozzarella and up to 1/4 of filling on each rectangle. Work on just half of the surface of each rectangle of dough, then fold dough over top of filling and pinch edges firmly to seal. For a half-moon "pizza parlor" look to your calzones, mound filling into a half-moon shape, fold dough over top trim edges of dough to follow the rounded shape, then seal edges.

Tie strips of dough scraps in knots, brush with garlic oil and sprinkle with grated cheese. Bake knots with calzones.

If your dough tears, remove a little of the filling and repair. Repeat the process, spacing the calzones evenly on baking sheet. Bake the calzones for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown all over. Serve calzones with warm tomato or pizza sauce for dunking.

Cook's Note: Freeze any remaining filling in a small plastic container and use it to stuff a chicken breast on another day.

Five Minute Spicy Marinara:

• 2 tablespoons (two turns around the pan) extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 (32 ounce) can chunky style crushed tomatoes
• Salt and pepper
• 1 teaspoon Italian dried seasoning
• 1 handful Italian parsley leaves, chopped

Add olive oil to medium saucepan over moderate heat. Add garlic and crushed pepper to the heated olive oil; when pepper snaps and garlic sizzles, stir in crushed tomatoes. Season sauce with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Cook for five minutes and stir in parsley. Serve.

Yield: 4 servings