Goat Cheese, Basil and Italian Sausage Calzones

Ingredients

• 1 batch of your favorite easy pizza dough
• 4 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, torn into pieces
• 1/2 pound Italian sausage, cooked and drained of any excess fat
• 1/2 cup goat cheese, crumbled
• 1/2 cup fresh basil, roughly chopped
• 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 batch of your favorite pizza sauce, for dipping

Instructions

1. 1

   Heat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. 2

   Line a large baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat.

3. 3

   Divide your pizza dough into 2 equal portions and flatten each piece into a rough circle, about 1/4" thick. (We like to do this right on the baking sheet if there’s space, so you don’t have to move the calzones later!)

4. 4

   Layer the mozzarella, cooked Italian sausage, basil, and goat cheese across half of each dough circle, leaving a small border along the edge. Feel free to eyeball this - use as much or as little of each ingredient as you prefer!

5. 5

   Pull the empty sides of each calzone up over the filling. Pinch the sides together to seal the calzone. Pro tip: If your calzone doesn’t want to form a good seal, brush the edges with a bit of water to help them stick.

6. 6

   If you formed your calzones on a cutting board, transfer them to your prepared baking sheet now, leaving a bit of space between each one.

7. 7

   Use a sharp knife to cut 2-3 small slits in the top of each calzone (this allows steam to escape during baking so the crust doesn’t split open).

8. 8

   Brush each calzone with a thin layer of olive oil.

9. 9

   Bake at 450° Fahrenheit for 15-25 minutes or until calzones are golden brown.

10. 10

    Serve immediately with a side of pizza sauce for dipping.