Broccolini & Ricotta Calzone

If you're wondering what that long stemmed, broccoli lookin' bunch in your box was this week, it's Broccolini aka baby broccoli and aspiration. Broccolini is similar to broccoli, but has those long, lanky stems, and smaller florets. It's the natural hybrid of broccoli and Chinese broccoli, gai lan. You can eat all parts of the green vegetable, stalk and leaves included!

You probably noticed that it needs to be eaten right away, but if you aren't ready to cook it up today, store it in a glass of water in your refrigerator to keep it fresher, longer. You can cook it just like broccoli, steam it, roast it, sauté it, and this week, we are stirring it into creamy ricotta cheese for a calzone filling. YUM.

Let's talk about blanching. Here's what I did. I chopped the florets off some of the stalks, and added them to boiling water for 3-4 minutes. I then drained, and submerged the blanched broccolini into ice water to shock it- stopping the cooking and allowing the broccolini to remain vibrant green. Then drain the broccolini well so it's not too wet when we mix it into the cheese filling. Let's get started.

INGREDIENTS:

1 bunch Perfectly Imperfect Organic broccolini, blanched per instructions above 1.5 cups ricotta 1/3 cup grated parmesan 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped salt & pepper to taste pre-made pizza dough- I buy a ball in the freezer section and let it thaw.

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 425 2. Once your broccolini is cool and drained well from blanching, combine with the filling ingredients- ricotta, parmesan, garlic, parsley, and salt and pepper. Taste your mixture- if it needs more salt, add it now, but don't forget that parmesan cheese is very salty. 3. Roll your pizza dough out into a large, thin, rectangle. Smear the filling onto all sides, but leave an inch gap at the far end, so you have space to roll without filling spilling out. 4. Roll your calzone, tucking the edges as you go, (see picture). 5. Once all rolled up, add to a baking sheet with parchment, score the top a few times to let steam escape, and bake for 25 minutes, until golden brown. 6. Once the calzone is done baking, let it cool 15 minutes before slicing, that way all your gooey filling doesn't escape! Slice into larger chunks for a dinner portion, or into slices to serve at a party. Enjoy!

As always, we love to see your weekly creations! Be sure to tag us on Instagram, @perfectlyimperfectproduce, so we can keep up with your foodie journey!