Recipe courtesy of Elena Besser

Mini Calzones

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  • Level: Easy
  • Total: 40 min
  • Active: 25 min
  • Yield: 8 mini calzones
Sponsored by Classico® Pasta Sauce. These little pockets of pizza are perfect finger food. Enjoy them as an appetizer before an Italian feast, or as an easy weeknight meal the whole family will love--just add a hearty salad. A few shortcut ingredients in the recipe, including store-bought garlicky tomato sauce, save you time without skimping on flavor.

Ingredients

Directions

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. Beat the egg with 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl. Set aside.
  4. Combine the cheese blend, ricotta, 1/4 cup Parmesan, scallions and garlic powder in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. Brush the tops of the calzones with the egg wash and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan.
  8. 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.
  9. 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.