I know that adorable lunchbox art is all the rage but if I send my 13 year old to middle school with an artful lunchbox arrangement I most definitely feel his rage. However, he LOVES when I make homemade calzones. So, I decided to come up with an easy make ahead lunch for him. They can be frozen up to 4 weeks ahead. It’s a great way to buy yourself a few extra minutes in the morning! And, I swear these are super easy! It’s really more of a how-to than a recipe.
Ingredients:
Package of pre-made frozen bread dough – thaw over-night in your refrigerator (I prefer Bridgeford but any brand should do.)
1 jar marinara sauce (I sometime use leftover homemade sauce, either works fine)
1 cup pizza cheese (I use a mix of 2 parts mozzarella, 1 part ricotta, and 1 part Parmesan as well as some Italian spices)
Italian Spices (oregano, garlic powder, & rosemary)
1 cup all-purpose flour
Supplies:
4.5 inch round cutter Rolling pin Half-size sheet pan Freezer paper Parchment Paper
Pre-heat your oven to 375 degrees. Roll out your first ball of dough on a floured work surface.
You should be able to get 5-6 rounds (1/2 inch thick) of dough cut from each loaf.
Lay the first batch of six out on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Cover each round with approximately 1 tbsp of marinara sauce leaving a margin of about 3/4 inch around the edge. Follow this with about 1 tbsp of your cheese mixture. I find it helps to use your fingers to get each round really covered. Now, roll out your second batch of dough rounds.
Take your second batch of dough rounds and cover your first batch of mini pizzas. Be careful to ease the tops on from the back to the front to keep your sauce and cheese from sliding out. At this point you’ll want to use your fork (dipped in a little flour) to seal the edges around the outside of your stuffed pizzas.
Cook your pizzas 15-20 minutes in your pre-heated oven. Once these cool, I wrap them in freezer paper and slide them into a freezer bag marked with the proper re-heat instructions. You’ll want to take put them in the fridge the night before so that they will be thawed by the next day’s lunchtime.
