Sausage And Pepper Calzones

Total Time: 1 hr 30 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided (about 12 1/3 ounces)
• 1 cup warm water (100 to 110 )
• 2 1/4 teaspoons dry yeast
• 1 dash sugar
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• cooking spray
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 2 cups thinly sliced red bell peppers (about 2)
• 1 cup chopped onion (about 1)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 lb chicken apple sausage, cut into 1/4-inch slices (such as gerhard's)
• 3/4 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup no-salt-added tomato sauce
• 1/4 cup 2% low fat cottage cheese
• 2 tablespoons grated fresh parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Recipe

• 1 to prepare dough, lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. combine 1/2 cup flour, 1 cup warm water, yeast, and sugar in a large bowl; let stand 15 minutes.
• 2 gradually add 1 3/4 cups flour, 1 tablespoon oil, and 3/4 teaspoon salt; stir until a soft dough forms.
• 3 knead until smooth and elastic (about 8 minutes); add enough of remaining 1/2 cup flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands.
• 4 place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 1 hour or until doubled in size. (gently press two fingers into dough. if indentation remains, dough has risen enough.).
• 5 to prepare filling, heat 1 teaspoon oil over medium-high heat in a large nonstick skillet.
• 6 add bell pepper, onion, garlic, and sausage; sauté 10 minutes or until tender. spoon mixture into a bowl; cool slightly. add mozzarella and remaining ingredients to sausage mixture; stir well.
• 7 preheat oven to 450°.
• 8 punch dough down; cover and let rest 5 minutes. divide into 8 equal portions. roll each portion into a 6-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. spoon about 1/2 cup sausage mixture onto half of each circle, leaving a 1/2-inch border.
• 9 fold dough over filling; crimp edges of dough with fingers to seal. place calzones on a large baking sheet lined with foil and coated with cooking spray.
• 10 pierce the tops of the dough once with a fork. lightly coat the calzones with cooking spray. bake at 450° for 14 minutes or until browned. remove from oven. cool completely on a wire rack.
• 11 coat a sheet of foil with cooking spray. place 1 calzone on coated side of foil; seal. repeat procedure with remaining calzones and cooking spray. place calzones in a heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag; freeze.
• 12 preheat oven to 450°.
• 13 to reheat, place foil-wrapped, frozen calzones on a large baking sheet. bake at 450° for 40 minutes or until thoroughly heated.