Vegetarian "Sausage" Calzones

9/9/2015

I love me a good Calzone. For a long time I was obsessed with Greek style Calzones with artichoke hearts and Feta cheese, yum! But now that I've fallen in love with Field Roast Vegan Sausage, I have a new favorite.

Italian Sausage Calzones!

I know, I don't make very pretty Calzones but believe me! They're delicious! Super magical and flavorful!

Vegetarian "Sausage" Calzones
I like to use this fantastic bread dough recipe from The Two Bite Club

*This recipe makes two large Calzones, I cut it in half, freeze one ball of dough for a later date and cut the remaining ball into quarters for 4 Calzones. You can make 2 large Calzones using the entire dough but you will need to double the filling amounts.

Dough
1 cup of lukewarm water
2 Tbsp of olive oil
1 tsp of salt
3 cups of flour
1¼ tsp of active dry yeast

If using a Bread Machine, add ingredients in order listed, choose Dough setting and let your machine do it's thing! Make sure to check the dough about 5 minutes into the first Knead cycle to make sure it's not too dry, add an extra teaspoon or so of water if it is.

If making dough from scratch, combine water, olive oil and yeast, let sit for about 5 minutes until frothy. While liquid and yeast are sitting, sift together salt and flour. Mix activated yeast water to dry ingredients then knead into a ball, set into a large, greased bowl, covered and let rise for one hour (I like to spray the top with a mist of canola oil so it doesn't dry out.) Knead after one hour, put back into greased bowl and let rise for another hour.

Cut Dough in half, freeze half for later by wrapping in saran wrap and freezing in a gallon freezer bag. Roll out 4 balls with remaining dough on a floured surface and flatten into 4 little circles for your Calzones.

Filling
3 Field Roast Italian Vegan Sausage Links
3/4 of a Yellow Onion
1/4 cup Black Olives
3 Tbsp Olive Oil
Mozzarella Cheese
1/4 tsp Italian Seasoning
pinch of Thyme
*Cornmeal, for dusting baking sheet

Toppings
Olive Oil
Parmesan Cheese
Oregano
Red Pepper Flakes
Garlic Salt
*Marinara for Dipping

Preheat your oven to 400 Degrees. Chop sausage into bite size pieces. Mince your onion. Shred your Mozzarella.

Add 2 Tbsp Olive Oil to a non-stick skillet, heat until shimmering, brown your vegan sausage. Set aside, add 1 Tbsp olive oil to same non-stick pan you were using for the sausage, add yellow onion, saute until translucent. Toss back in the sausage, add the olives, Italian Seasoning and Thyme, turn off heat.

Dust a baking sheet with cornmeal, I like to place my Calzone dough hanging off the edge of the pan so I can fill the Calzones but not get cornmeal on their tops. They're going to be covered with delicious spices in a second here.

Fill your Calzone dough until full then top with Mozzarella cheese. Fold dough over and and pinch edges with a fork. Poke top of Calzones to vent. Look at those unusual shapes! True artistry.