Cheese and spinach are a classic combo that work beautifully in this easy calzone recipe served with a tomato-based red lentil sauce.
Calzone are Italian folded pizza pockets that work with a variety of different flavours, and they’re especially great for using up last night’s leftovers or meal prepping for the week. They freeze perfectly and reheat well in your toasted sandwich maker for lunch at work the next day or dinner later in the week.
Looking for more pizza or calzone recipes?
Ingredients
Red lentil sauce
Assembly ingredients
Method
1.Cook quinoa in a large saucepan of boiling salted water for 12 minutes or until tender; drain. Cool. Squeeze out excess water using hands. Process quinoa + stock powder + baking powder + 2 eggs + oil to a sticky dough. Turn dough onto work surface; divide into four portions. Roll each portion between greased sheets of baking paper until 20cm (8in) round and 3mm (⅛in) thick. Slide dough, on paper, onto a tray; refrigerate for 20 minutes or until firm.
2.Meanwhile, preheat oven to 220°C/425°F. Line two large oven trays with baking paper.
3.Melt butter in a large frying pan over medium heat; cook onion + garlic, stirring, for 3 minutes or until softened. Add silverbeet + cream; cook for 10 minutes or until wilted and liquid is evaporated. Cool. Transfer to a large bowl. Season to taste; stir in mozzarella.
4.Top each dough round with a quarter of the silverbeet mixture.
5.Fold rounds in half, pressing edges to enclose filling. Seal edges using a wet fork. Transfer calzones to lined oven trays. Lightly beat remaining egg; brush calzones with egg. Sprinkle with quinoa flakes. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden.
6.**Red lentil sauce** Meanwhile, rinse lentils under cold running water. Combine lentils + pasta sauce in a medium saucepan; bring to a simmer over low heat. Cook, partially covered, for 15 minutes or until lentils have broken down.
Assembly
7.Process or blend yoghurt + 15g (½oz) spinach leaves until smooth and green; season to taste. Serve calzones with red lentil sauce, yoghurt sauce and remaining spinach leaves.
8.**To freeze**
Wrap calzones individually in foil; place each in a zip-lock plastic bag. Divide red lentil sauce into 4 individual portions; store in freezer-proof, microwave-safe containers. Label and freeze for up to 2 months.
9.**To reheat** Thaw calzones and red lentil sauce in the fridge. Place calzones between baking paper in a hot sandwich press; toast (with the lid not quite touching) for 5 minutes until heated through. Heat lentil sauce in microwave on HIGH (100%) until heated through.
