Mardi Gras Pizza Turnovers
Think of this as jambalaya in a crust. Serve ice-cold beer and sweetened iced tea with these turnovers.
Makes four 6-inch turnovers
INGREDIENTS
- ¼ cup butter
- ¼ cup minced fresh parsley
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 green onions, minced
- 1 small onion, minced
- 1 small green bell pepper, cored and diced
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- ½ pound peeled small shrimp
- ½ pound chopped andouille sausage
- ½ cup water
- Dash Tabasco
- 2 cups cooked white rice
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- ½ recipe Classic Crust dough or Whole-Wheat Crust dough
- 3 tablespoons cornmeal
In a heavy saucepan over high heat, combine butter, parsley, garlic, green onions, onion, and bell pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes. Add tomato sauce, shrimp, sausage, and ½ cup of water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook, stirring often, for 10 minutes. Add Tabasco, rice, and salt and black pepper to taste. Mix to blend, and remove from heat. Allow to cool.
Separate dough into four pieces. Place segments on a heavily floured work surface and roll each one into a 6-inch circle. Spoon rice mixture onto half of each circle, leaving one-half inch around the edges bare.
Fold dough over the filling to form a crescent. Press dough edges together, brushing edges with a little water if necessary. Sprinkle cornmeal over a baking sheet or pizza tiles and place calzones on the cornmeal. Cover with a damp towel and let stand 30 minutes.
With a sharp knife, cut two or three slits in the tops of the turnovers. Bake at 375° for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand a few minutes before serving.
Here Comes the King
The appropriate dessert for a Mardi Gras party is King Cake. These ring-shaped yeast-risen cakes made of sweet roll dough usually have a profusion of purple-, green-, and gold-dyed frosting and a tiny plastic baby doll stuck inside. According to custom, whoever gets “the baby” is the king or queen of the party and is obligated to give the next King Cake party.
