Hands Off: 25 minutes

Calzones are essentially a larger version of empanadas, which are little meat pies made all over South America and the Caribbean. You’ll often find them made there with beef and onions, olives, or peppers. The Argentineans like to add fruit like pears and peaches, though, and I like the idea of a fruit and poultry combination. These are a nice change from the typical tomato sauce and cheese filling of most calzones. The Asian pear adds extra crunchiness, but a regular firm pear works well too.

Serves 2 to 4

12 ounces ground chicken or turkey
1 small firm pear, cored and diced
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup diced bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for garnish
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
All-purpose flour, for kneading
1 pound refrigerated or frozen, thawed pizza dough

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F with a pizza stone inside if you have one. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the chicken, pear, onion, bell pepper, cilantro, the 2 tablespoons oil, the juice, garlic, salt, and pepper. Mix well to distribute the ingredients, but don’t squash the meat.

3. On a well-floured work surface, cut the dough into 2 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a round about 8 inches in diameter. Place half of the meat mixture on one half of each round, leaving a 3/4-inch margin at the edge. Dab the edge with water, then fold over the round and press the edges together. Fold over the edges on top of themselves and press firmly again. Put the calzones on the prepared pan. Cut 2 slits in the top of each calzone. Transfer the pan to the oven, or slide the calzones onto the preheated pizza stone.

4. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the calzones are golden brown. Drizzle with more olive oil before serving.