Lemon Ricotta Calzone

I misjudged how much ricotta I would need for my ravioli. So, I had two cups of ricotta and only needed one for the pasta. I wasn't sure of what to do with the remaining. I couldn't just spread it on toast because it already had egg mixed in. So, I took a little inspiration from Ben Wyatt (of Parks & Recreation) and made some calzones.

To be clear, these probably would not fit in at the 'Low Cal Calzone Zone' but they're delicious and I think Ben would approve. "Pizza? Never heard of it."

Ingredients [yields 6 small calzones]:
½ batch pasta dough
1 cup lemon ricotta
1 egg
1 clove garlic, minced
3 sage leaves, finely chopped
½ cup grated asiago
1 teaspoon pepper
1 cup grated mozzarella
4 sun dried tomatoes, chopped
¼ cup sausage, cooked & crumbled
½ cup arugula, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
+ marinara sauce

This is a super easy recipe once you have the components together. Basically, just mix together the ricotta with the grated cheese, arugula, sun dried tomatoes, egg, sausage, and black pepper and stir together.

That's the filling, done.

Split the pizza dough into pieces (unless you want to make one giant calzone) and roll out nice and thin.

Scoop a generous amount of filling onto the dough, fold it over, and crimp the edges.

Place the calzone onto a sheet pan dusted with cornmeal or semolina.

Drizzle the calzone with olive oil and give them a massage. The oil will promote browning. Then, use a knife to cut some vents into the top.

Bake these cuties in a 375F oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until they're lovely and golden. Larger calzones may take a longer time to cook; just look for the golden crust.

Serve with a simple marinara sauce - this one's literally just tomato sauce with a little garlic and crushed red pepper flakes warmed in a saucepan - and dig in!

I cut this little cutie in half so you could see the gorgeous filling and the thin, crisp crust.

These calzone are so good. I love the lemon ricotta - it really shines through - but I also love the other filling ingredients. The arugula adds a nice pepperiness, the sausage gives it bites of spiciness, the sun dried tomatoes are lovely and sweet, the cheese is melty and gooey, and the crust adds a good crisp crunch. But, I also love that the folded edge of the crust is delicious and pillowy. I know everyone harps on Ben Wyatt for his love of calzones, but they're really good!

Here's the recipe page: