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Baked and Fried Calzone

By Paula Deen

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Difficulty: Easy

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Servings: 2-4

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Ingredients

  • 1 lb soprafina ricotta
  • 3 tablespoons dried basil
  • 3 tablespoons dried oregano
  • 1/3 lb fresh basil
  • 2 cups pine nuts
  • 1 3/4 cups shredded Parmesan cheese
  • 1 1/2 cups extra virgin olive oil
  • 4 to 5 cloves garlic
  • 2 balls store-bought pizza dough
  • 2 beaten, for egg wash, if frying eggs
  • for dusting flour
  • for dipping marinara sauce

Directions

For the ricotta:

Combine ricotta, dried basil and oregano in a large mixing bowl and stir together.

For the pesto:

Combine garlic, frseh basil, pine nuts and Parmesan in a food processor. Slowly add olive oil as dry ingredients are processing.

Preheat oven to 550 °F.

Sprinkle flour on a wooden cutting board or preparation surface. Slap out the ball of dough into a circle about 1/4-inch thick. Spread a layer of pesto on dough a few inches across, leaving about 1-inch around the edges uncovered. Add ricotta and toppings and fold the dough over the toppings to create a “half moon.” Press down along the edges to create a seal so the melted cheese will not leak out. Bake for 15 minutes on a pizza stone. Rotate halfway through to ensure they cook evenly. Serve with marinara sauce.

*Cook’s Note: 1 pound of dough yields 2 calzones

To deep-fry:

Preheat peanut oil to 350 °F. Use an egg wash to seal the edges of the dough. Place in the fryer basket and deep-fry for 6 to 8 minutes, until golden brown.

Optional Fillings:

Italian Sausage, cooked

Mushrooms, sliced

Onions, sliced

Baby spinach

Roma Tomatoes, sliced

Parmesan cheese, shredded

Mozzarella cheese, shredded