Meatball Calzone

Okay, so turning on the oven when its 115 degrees outside is not the best idea.  Wait, let me back up, turning on the oven and the stove when its 115 degrees outside is a bad idea.  However, Meatball Calzones are a good idea--no matter how hot it is outside.  

In the hopes of having less things in the pantry, freezer and refrigerator, I took a little peek and found spaghetti sauce, pizza crust, cheese and frozen meatballs.  Then it came to me...BOOM Meatball Calzones.  Mmmm hmmm....

These things are so easy and very adaptable.  Typically I make pepperoni calzones with peppers and onions but really you can put whatever you want in them.  I have been wanting to try ham and cheese.  Add chicken and you would have a chicken cordon blu calzone.  Now that sounds tasty.  

So give these a try--if you are weak you can wait till it cools off.  : ) 

Musical Selection: Big Bass by Nikki Minaj.  I think she is annoying but I am addicted to the hook of this song.  Seriously, I hope this gets it out of my head! 

Start by preparing your pizza crust.  This is one of those inexpensive packs that you only add water.  It makes 2-3 calzones depending on how hungry you are.  I would typically get the Trader Joe's pre-made pizza dough but that wasn't in our apartment.  

Next, brown up your meatballs.  Pop them in a frying pan with a bit of veg/canola/olive oil. 

Yep, here's my dough. 

Like I said, I had spaghetti sauce in the pantry.  I like my pizza  dipping sauce to taste like pizza sauce so I tossed in a ton of pizza seasoning.  If you are doing this, prep ahead of time, this gives the herbs in the seasoning a bit to meld with the sauce. 

Cut your dough into two parts. 

Put cornmeal on your pizza peel or baking sheet.  Pizza peels are not essential but very helpful and affordable.  I think this one was less than $15 at Target.  

Flatten out the dough....

And start topping...pepperoni...

Cheese...

Meatballs and parmesan cheese....I would have added peppers and onions but again, they were not in the pantry. 

Fold the dough over the toppings and seal.  Cut a few slits in the dough to allow the steam to escape. 

I topped them with pizza seasoning and parmesan cheese. These should cook in a 420 degree oven for about 20-25 minutes.  No wonder the apartment was a hot box. 

Serve with a nice salad....

Or just a huge bowl of pizza sauce.  

Enjoy!!! 

Meatball Calzones (yield 2-3)

1 packet or about a pound of pizza dough

16 or so meatballs

1 cup mozzarella cheese 

15 or so slices of pepperoni

2 tablespoons parmesan cheese 

1 small jar of pizza sauce or about 2 cups spaghetti sauce + 2 tablespoons of pizza seasoning

Prepare pizza dough according to package directions.

Preheat oven to 425 

Divide the dough into two or three depending on how many calzones you are making 

Pull/roll the dough into a rectangle

Layer the toppings as followed on 1/2 of the rectangle: pepperoni, cheese, meatballs, parmesan

Fold the other 1/2 of the dough over the toppings and press into the other side of the dough to create a seal.  Cut a few slits in the top of the dough.  Top with additional pizza seasoning and parmesan cheese.

Toss a little cornmeal on the pizza peel or baking sheet, place calzones on corn meal and put into oven. 

Bake for about 20-25 minutes until golden brown. 

Serve with pizza sauce and a crisp green salad.

Enjoy!!

Recipe by: Mrs. Schwartz