Pepperoni Calzone

One of my friends shared this recipe with me and I couldn't wait to try it!  The original recipe calls for sausage, but since I prefer pepperoni, I thought I'd try to change it up a bit.  Plus, I didn't have parmesan cheese, but it was fine without it.  I'm sure that would add great flavor, but I didn't have it on hand that day.  Also, instead of minced garlic, I used fresh.  Turned out great!  And better yet, the fam LOVED it!  This was perfect for an easy weekday meal, but I also think it would be great for football watching parties in the fall or whenever!

For this super easy yummy recipe, you'll need:

• 1 lb frozen bread dough
• pepperoni
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 3/4 cup mozzarella
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 1-2 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1 egg
• olive oil 
• italian seasoning (to taste)
• garlic powder (1/4 tsp or to taste)

If you're grocery-shopping-challenged like me, you'll want to know that this is what the dough looks like.  It can be found in Cowtown at Tom Thumb (this is the only place I've found it - and I looked 3 other places!!  So take my advice friends, just go to Tom Thumb on Bryant Irvin & it's right there in the freezer case! :)  Plus it comes in a pack of 3, so I don't have to go back for awhile :)

I just took a loaf out the night before and put it in a covered dish in the fridge.  The next day it looked like this.

Since I was using pepperoni, I decided to crisp them up a bit.  I used about half a package of the pepperonis and sauteed them in olive oil, kind of like bacon - smelled yummy!!!  Remove from pan and drain on a paper towel, but SAVE THAT OIL for the next step...

Throw the garlic in the pepperoni infused oil to soften it for a few minutes before mixing it up in the recipe.  I love combining all the flavors in the oil!

Mix the ricotta cheese, basil, garlic and egg thoroughly and spread onto the dough.  I shaped the dough into a rectangle on a lightly greased baking sheet.  I used olive oil spray to grease it and it worked great.

After the ricotta mixture, layer the mozzarella cheese and pepperonis (or sausage, or whatever you're using :)

Fold the calzone over and pinch the sides to seal.  Then, I mixed olive oil with italian seasoning and garlic powder and brushed it on the outside of the calzone for flavor.  This wasn't part of the original recipe, I just thought it would add a little more flavor to the yumminess - and there's never too much garlic powder in my kitchen, right?  

Bake for 20-30 minutes in a 350 degree oven until browned.  I thought it came out looking fabulous!

This side looked a little wonky, but the rest of it looked fabulous!  Haha!! 

Now hubby & little person absolutely LOVED this dinner!  And so easy!!  We will be having this again for sure!

I also heated up some tomato sauce with basil, italian seasoning, and of course garlic powder, for dipping - so yummy!  And super easy (have I said that already??)

Enjoy!!