Mushroom-Ricotta Calzones

By the Gracious Vegan

Mushrooms and ricotta cheese couldn’t be more complementary: earthy vs. sharp, chewy vs. creamy, brown vs. white. Throw in tomatoes and Italian spices, and you’ve got a delicious party going on inside the folded-over pizza crust. See my post Vegan Pizza Like You Wouldn’t Believe for other ideas on crusts, sauces, toppings, and cooking tips.

Makes 2 calzones (4 servings)

If you have a pizza stone, put it in the oven, preheat the oven to 500°, and let it heat 30 minutes after it hits 500°. If you do not have a pizza stone, preheat the oven to 475°.

The dough. You’ll need one pound of pizza dough, thawed. Most supermarkets sell one-pound slabs of dough. I have not found one that is oil-free. If you want to make your own, note that recipes with around 2 cups of flour make about a pound of dough. 

• One pound of pizza dough (whole wheat dough works well)

The filling. Water-sauté these ingredients in a large skillet over low-medium heat until the liquid released by the mushrooms is evaporated and the mushrooms start to brown, 8-10 minutes. (What is water-sauté?)

• One pound mushrooms of your choice, sliced

• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced, grated, or chopped

• 1 teaspoon dried thyme

Turn off the heat and stir in the following ingredients.

• Half of a 15-ounce can of petite diced tomatoes

• 1 cup vegan ricotta cheese (Gracious Vegan Ricotta Cheese)

• 1/3 cup vegan Parmesan cheese (Vegan Parmesan Cheese)

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• (Optional) Thawed 10-ounce package of chopped spinach, with all the water squeezed out

Divide the pizza dough in half. Stretch out the first piece with your hands (or a rolling pin) into a ¼” thick round (10-12”).  Put half the filling in the center of the dough. Fold the round in half over the filling. Press or crimp the edges of the dough to seal the calzone. Repeat with the second piece of dough and remaining filling. Cut a few small vents in the top of the calzones to let steam escape.

Put the calzones directly on the pizza stone and bake for 12-15 minutes until browned. If you are not using a stone, put them on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and bake at 475°for 16 to 18 minutes or more, until browned. Let them stand for at least 5 minutes before serving.

While the calzones bake, in the pan used to cook the mushrooms, combine the following and cook at low-medium heat for 5-6 minutes. Serve alongside the calzones for topping or dipping.

• Remaining half of the petite diced tomatoes

• One 8-ounce can tomato sauce

• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

• Red pepper flakes as desired

Timing: Hands-on time 35 minutes, total time: 45 minutes (the times assume you have the vegan ricotta and Parmesan cheese already made or bought)

Nutritional information per serving (assuming whole wheat pizza dough): 493 calories, 18g fat, 3g sat. fat, 68g carbs, 770mg sodium, 13g fiber, 19g protein 

Gluten-free if gluten-free pizza dough is used