Pumpkin and Spinach Calzone

 Calzones are just folded-up pizzas , or portable pizzas. The topping goes on one side and then its folded in half and sealed, fresh from the oven, the cheese just oozes out, that is if you have used mozzarella.
I made this one while trying out a recipe for pumpkin. As a child, I used to hate pumpkins but nowadays

I like it better than I did when growing up.

Recipe : Pumpkin, Sausage And Spinach Calzone

makes 4

350g pizza dough
250g pumpkin, peeled and chopped
big hand full of  fresh baby spinach (  about 10 boaveli leaves if  using local)  or use about 50g if  frozen ( thawed)
3 cloves garlic
1-2 red chillies
1/2 tsp dried chilli flakes
1/2 tsp dried herbs
salt and pepper
3 chicken sausages (I used gills chicken and garlic )
olive oil
feta cheese, small amount or use mozzarella if you don't have feta


First preheat oven to 200 degrees C , in a bowl mix pumpkin, chilli flakes, dried herbs, 2 cloves garlic( unpeeled), salt and 1 tbsp of olive oil.  Mix and arrange this mixture in a single layer in a baking tray.  Place in oven, for 20- 30 minutes, till the pumpkin pieces are softened with the edges slightly turning colour . Remove.  and cool.

Heat a small frying pan, with 2 tbsp olive oil,and the remaining clove of garlic.  Once the garlic gives its aroma, add the spinach ( squeeze the water out from the frozen ones, blanch the boaveli in hot water for 5 minutes, remove and chop roughly, before using it) and just toss it through with a pinch of salt and pepper and tiny bit chilli flakes, let the spinach wilt and all moisture has evaporated.  Remove from pan and Set aside.

In the same pan brown the sausages, remove and cut them into diagonal slices.

Once the pumpkin is cool enough to handle, remove to a plate, , remove the garlic from the skin squash them a bit and mix into the pumpkin. Slice the chilli  thinly, like slivers of chilli.

Now roll out the pizza dough, oops I forgot, first divide the dough into 3-4 balls, depending on how big you want them.   Roll into oval shape,

 then take some of the pumpkin mix, squash it a bit with your fingers and arrange in spinach and sausages so you get a piece of everything in one bite. Take a little of the slivers of chilli and add them into the pile. Then finally add bits of feta, crumbling it in over the whole lot. If you can't get feta, mozzarella or even a little cheddar is also ok.

Carefully brush a little water on the edges and fold the other half of the pizza dough.  you can seal it like this or use a fork and press down around the edges.  Make two slits on top using the end of a sharp knife.

Pop into the oven , now temperature cranked up to 220 degree C and  bake for 20 minutes till golden.

Enjoy!