This article brought to you by Goodwin’s Market
Article by Victoria Heerschap
More and more people are embracing Meatless Monday as an easy way to eat healthier. While this recipe may seem indulgent (I mean, three kinds of cheese!), it’s still a much lighter alternative to a traditional calzone. If you’re worried about all that mozzarella, simply substitute more ricotta and/or use low-fat or skim-milk cheese.
Vegetarian Calzone Recipe
Ingredients:
1 head broccoli
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. refrigerated pizza dough
6 oz. frozen chopped spinach – thawed and drained
2 cups mozzarella cheese – shredded
8 oz. ricotta cheese
3/4 cup parmesan cheese – grated
3 cloves garlic – minced
2 tbsp. fresh basil leaves – chopped
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
2 tsp. lemon juice
Salt and pepper
1 egg
1 tsp. water
Directions:
Preheat your oven to 400°.
Chop the broccoli, including the stalks. Arrange the chopped broccoli on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt. Roast the broccoli for 20 minutes.
Separate the pizza dough into four equal pieces, loosely cover, and set aside.
In a mixing bowl, combine the mozzarella, ricotta, and parmesan cheeses. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, chopped basil, and lemon juice, stirring to combine.
Gently stir in the roasted broccoli and thawed, drained spinach, seasoning to taste with the salt and pepper.
In a small bowl, beat the egg with the water to create an egg wash for the dough.
Roll out each dough section into 8” rounds, then add 1/4 of the veggie/cheese mix onto one half of each round. Brush the edges of the dough with the egg wash. Fold the dough over the mixture in a half-moon shape, crimping the edges with your fingers to seal the dough.
Place the calzones on the prepared baking sheet and brush all over with the remaining egg wash.
Bake the calzones at 400° for 30 – 35 minutes, until they are uniformly golden brown and the bottoms are crisp. Remove from the oven and cool on the baking sheet on a cooling rack for 5 minutes. Make sure to poke a small hole in each calzone to vent the steam. Serve hot, with marinara sauce for dipping.
Victoria Heerschap is a passionate food blogger and freelance writer. She has been a serious foodie for over a decade and loves playing with her food! Victoria enjoys cooking, singing, nature photography, and loves any excuse to play the hostess. You can find her blog at www.bonvivantkitchen.com.