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1/28/09

Spinach and Cheese Calzone - It's Not Pizza Hut But I'm Still Trying!

Long time readers of mine, friends whom I speak to online about recipes and my real life friends, all know the one recipe that I've been trying to track down for almost 20 years.

The year was 1987. I was just turning 17 and worked part time as a sales clerk and cashier. Every Saturday during my lunch hour I would head over to the one fast food restaurant in our tiny town; Pizza Hut. I would order the one and only, most amazing food product that I ever wanted; A 5 Cheese Calizza.

They had just launched them as a new product and they were simply incredible. Served in a personal pan pizza pan, they were filled with 5 cheeses and not one drop of red sauce of any kind. Since minimum wage was about $3.25 at the time I had to work over an hour just to pay for my pizza but back in the 80's we were also able to cash 'third party checks' so often I would take my paycheck to the Pizza Hut, order my lunch and sign my check over to them, thereby getting my lunch and cashing my paycheck at the same time.

Tonight I emailed the Pizza Hut Corporation and asked them to do a "Bring back the 80's" marketing scheme. They can keep the awful new 'pasta' dishes they are currently offering for their marketing scheme, I don't care for them. But if the could bring back the Calizza I think I'd buy one every other day for the rest of my life! Ha ha ha.

So until then I'm ALWAYS looking for new recipes that may come close to the one I loved in 1987 when I was 17. Here is another I'm adding to my collection although I truly am still hoping that Pizza Hut will listen to me and bring back the original!


Cheese Calzone


6 oz. frozen cut leaf spinach
1 tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 c finely chopped onion
1 tsp dried basil leaves
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 cup cottage cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 egg white
1 homemade pizza crust - or 2 cans of store bought rolled pizza crust like Pillsbury
2 T Parmesan Cheese

Roll out the dough and cut into circles about 6-8" in diameter or cut into triangles. Mix the first 8 ingredients together. Place a dough circle or square on parchment lined or greased baking sheet and place some of the mixture on half of the dough. Fold over and use a fork to seal or crimp the edges. Brush with a beaten egg white or spray with cooking spray, sprinkle the top with parmesan. Bake at 400 for approximately 20 minutes until golden and cooked through.

Serve with marinara or pizza sauce if you like.Print Friendly and PDF