Shelly's Recipe

TUSCAN PIZZA CALZONES

Category: Sandwiches

1 lb pkg frozen bread dough, thawed or favorite pizza dough
3 green and/or red bell pepper, diced
1 medium onion, halved and thingly sliced
4 tsp Italian seasoning, pluse extract for garnish
2 (15 oz) can favorite pizza sauce or marinara
1(6-8 oz) pkg sliced pepperoni
3 cups shredded Italian cheese blend
Grated parmesan cheese

Divide pizza dough into 8 pieces, sprinkling with flour as needed and rolling into balls. Place dough balls on 1 prepared baking pan and refrigerate 10 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400. In a skillet, saute peppers and onion in about 2 tbsp olive oil for 3-4 minutes or until tender-crisp, stirring frequently. Stir in Italian seasoning.

Sprinkle work surface with flour. With a floured rolling, roll 1 ball dough into a 7 inch circle, sprinkling with flour as needed to prevent from sticking. Leaving a 1 inch border, spread about 2 tbsp pizza sauce over half the dough and with with 1/2 cup pepper mixture, some pepperoni and 1/2 cup cheese. Lightly dapen border of dough with water and fold dough over filling to form a half-moon shape; with a fork, crimp edges of dough. Carefully transfer calzone to prepared baking pan. Repeat to make 7 more calzones.

Lighly brush tops of calzones with olive oil and bake for 30 minutes or until browned, rotating pans halfway through baking. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning and parmesan cheese. Cool calzones in pan for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a saucepan, heat remaining pizza sauce until warmed and serve with calzones for dipping.

NOTE: I like to also add other favorite pizza toppings and Italian deli meats, chopped.