How To Make A Sausage Kale And Ricotta Calzone Video

When it comes to stuffing pizza dough with an array of meat, cheese and veggies, there's really no wrong way to go about it. And though we've never met a plain old pizza we didn't like, there's something special about tucking everything up into one ultimate golden, gooey packet.

Preheat the oven to 425°.

In a small bowl, mix 1 cup of fresh ricotta with ½ cup of shredded Parmesan, ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes and 2 minced garlic cloves, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Brown 1 pound of spicy Italian sausage that's been removed from the casings. Set aside.

In the sausage fat, sauté 1 bunch of lacinato kale torn into 1-inch pieces until soft and wilted. Set aside.

Divide 1½ pounds of fresh pizza dough into 4 even-sized balls. Using your hands or a rolling pin, gently spread the dough balls into even-sized circles, each about 6 inches in diameter.

Working with one calzone at a time, spread a quarter of the ricotta mixture on one half of a dough circle, spoon on about ½ cup of the cooked sausage and a quarter of the sautéed kale, then top with a ¼ cup of shredded mozzarella cheese. Fold over the top half of the dough to meet the bottom half, and then seal and crimp the edges well. Place on a baking sheet.

Repeat with the remaining circles of dough, dividing the filling evenly. Poke holes in the top of each calzone to release any steam, then brush the tops with olive oil.

Bake at 425° for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown and crispy.

Get more calzone recipes:
- Easiest-Ever Calzones from The Pioneer Woman
- Meat Lover's Calzone with Sausage and Pepperoni
- Loaded Veggie Calzones with Ricotta