Spicy Sausage Calzone

Ingredients

Dough

• 500 grams ciabatta bread mix
• Plain flour (for dusting)

Spicy Tomato Sauce

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion (large, finely diced)
• 2 garlic cloves (crushed)
• 180 grams chorizo (or spicy salami, sliced into strips or diced)
• Pinch of chilli flakes
• Pinch of paprika
• 400 gram tin chopped tomatoes
• 200 ml passata
• Bunch of basil (leaves chopped)
• salt
• pepper

Cheese

• 250 grams mozzarella block (or 2 x 125 gram balls)

Method

Stage 1 - Start the Dough

1. Make the ciabatta bread mix following the packet instructions.
2. Cover and leave it to rise while you make the filling.

Stage 2 - Build the Sauce

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat.
2. Add the onion and fry for 8 minutes, until soft.
3. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
4. Add the chorizo and cook for 5 minutes, until it starts to release its red oil.
5. Stir in the chilli flakes and paprika.
6. Pour in the chopped tomatoes and passata.
7. Simmer gently for 20 minutes, until thickened and the tomatoes have broken down.
8. Stir in the chopped basil and season generously.
9. Leave the sauce to cool for 10 minutes.

Stage 3 - Prepare the Cheese

1. Cut the mozzarella into small cubes.
2. Drain in a sieve to shed excess moisture.

Stage 4 - Shape the Calzones

1. Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces (about 140 grams each) on a lightly floured surface.
2. Roll each piece into a 20 cm round, about ½ cm thick.
3. Spoon a generous portion of the cooled sauce onto half of each round, leaving a 3 cm border.
4. Scatter a few cubes of mozzarella on top.
5. Fold the empty half over the filling and pinch the edges firmly to seal.
6. Fold the sealed edge over once more and crimp tightly so no sauce can leak.
7. Cut a small steam hole in the top of each calzone.

Stage 5 - Freeze

1. Lift the calzones onto a baking-paper-lined baking sheet.
2. Freeze flat until solid, about 2 hours.
3. Wrap each calzone individually in cling film or foil.
4. Return to the freezer; they keep for up to 2 months.

Stage 6 - Bake from Frozen

1. Heat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan, gas 7).
2. Unwrap the frozen calzones and place on a baking tray.
3. Bake for 30 minutes, until the dough is puffed and golden.
4. Insert a metal skewer through the steam hole to check the filling is piping hot.
5. Rest for a couple of minutes before serving.