Little Calzones - 7/21/11

This is an update of a recipe I got from my friend Vicki over 35 years ago.  It was called "bambini" a two-bite calzone made with refrigerated biscuits, pepperoni, and ricotta cheese.  I have no idea what possessed me to make these tonight, as I had just run into Publix for matzoh and mayonnaise, but when inspiration hits, all I can do is run with it.  First, a handful of Advil.  Then we run with it.

My version is a little bigger than the bambini, as I make it with Grands flaky biscuits, split in half horizontally.  It's so easy, it's embarrassing.  But very tasty, whether or not you decide to serve it with some marinara sauce for dipping.  I admit to showing off by finishing each calzone with a decorative edge, but you just really need to pinch the edges well, or use a fork's tines to press a pretty fluted look around the edge.  Once it bakes up, you're not going to really see the decoration. 

You can use this as an appetizer, or for lunch with a salad, or for dinner with a side of pasta with red sauce.  Me, I would just add it to a buffet with everything else.  Baked ziti with meatballs, sausages and peppers, linguine with white clam sauce, shrimp scampi on pasta shells, eggplant parmagiana ... you get the idea.  And that's just the Italian stuff.  I have my recipes organized by ethnic origin, in case I want to pursue a theme, or go all international.  I've done the international thing a number of times back in the day when I would invite 40 or 50 people over.  Jewish, Italian, Greek, French, Mexican, Chinese ... and the beat goes on.  A lot of food, a lot of fun.

Ingredients:
1 can of Grands flaky biscuits, split in half horizontally
1 cup of whole milk ricotta
1 cup of shredded pepper jack cheese
1 bag Jimmy Dean brand sausage crumbles
1 jar of Mancini brand fried peppers
1 egg, beaten lightly
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 350.  Prepare a baking sheet with nonstick spray or use a silpat.  On each biscuit half, place a spoonful of ricotta, a sprinkle of pepper jack, a few pieces of the crumbled sausage, and one or two small pieces of the fried peppers.  Fold the biscuit over the filling to form a half moon calzone, and seal the edges by pinching and folding up a bit to keep the edge closed.  Place the little calzones on the prepared baking sheet.  Brush each calzone with a little of the egg, and sprinkle each with a little of the parmesan cheese.  Bake in the oven for 18 minutes or until the calzones are nicely browned on top and bottom.  Serve with hot marinara sauce for dipping.  Makes 16 little calzones.

Clearly you can swap out any cheese for the pepper jack and another chopped up sausage, like pepperoni or Genoa salami, for the sausage.  If you do that, consider seasoning the ricotta slightly.  I didn't need to because of the strong, spicy flavor from the pepper jack.  But you can be creative to suit your own personal taste, and venture outside the realm of Italian flavors. 

Whatever you do, please enjoy.