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Homemade Pizza pockets with Chicken Sausage + Zucchini
theartfulgourmet

Homemade Chicken Sausage + Zucchini Pizza Pockets

Flaky homemade pizza pockets filled with chicken sausage, zucchini, onions, garlic, four cheeses, basil and Don Pepino Pizza Sauce.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 36 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Course: Appetizer, appetizers, Snack
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 package refrigerated pie crusts 2 crusts, brought to room temp
  • 1 pound fully cooked chicken sausage cut into small slices, or bite-size pieces
  • 1 medium zucchini cut into small dice
  • ½ medium onion finely diced
  • 2 garlic cloves minced, or ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon Trader Joe’s Aglio Olio seasoning
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • Red pepper flakes optional
  • 1 cup Don Pepino Pizza Sauce divided, plus more for dipping
  • ½ cup shredded whole-milk mozzarella
  • ½ cup shredded or finely chopped provolone
  • ½ cup whole-milk ricotta
  • ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan for finishing
  • 1 large egg lightly beaten w/ 1 tbsp water, or 3 tablespoons melted garlic butter
  • fresh basil torn or chiffonade

Method
 

Brown the Sausage
  1. Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
  3. Add the chicken sausage and cook for approximately 3–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned around the edges.
  4. Transfer the sausage to a plate and set aside.
Cook the Vegetables
  1. Add the onion and zucchini to the same skillet.
  2. Season lightly with salt and black pepper and cook for approximately 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is tender and the zucchini is lightly golden.
  3. Continue cooking until the moisture released by the zucchini has evaporated.
  4. Add the garlic, Aglio Olio seasoning and red pepper flakes, if using. Cook for approximately 30 seconds.
  5. Return the sausage to the skillet.
  6. Add approximately ¼ cup Don Pepino Pizza Sauce and toss until the sausage and vegetables are lightly glazed.
  7. Cook for another minute or two, remove from the heat and let the mixture cool slightly.
Roll, Layer & Fold
  1. Unroll the pie crusts onto a lightly floured work surface and cut each round in half to create four large semicircles.
  2. On one half of each piece, Add a small spoonful of pizza sauce and spread thinly on the pie dough, leaving approximately a 1-inch border.
  3. Spoon on the cooked and cooled chicken sausage and zucchini mixture.
  4. Layer on the mozzarella, provolone cheeses, and a dollop of ricotta. Throw a sprinkle of Parmesan on too, if you desire.
  5. There’s an art to filling a hand pie: Generosity tempered by restraint.
  6. You want enough filling to make cutting into one exciting—but not so much that you create a four-cheese volcano in your oven.
Prep the Pastry / Make the Pies
  1. Brush the exposed pastry edges with beaten egg.
  2. Fold the pastry over the filling, press firmly and crimp the edges with a fork or twist them into a rustic hand-pie seal.
  3. Cut a few small vents into the tops.
Bake Until Golden
  1. Brush the pockets with beaten egg for a glossy crust or melted garlic butter for an especially savory finish.
  2. Bake for 15–20 minutes, until crisp, flaky and deeply golden.
  3. Let the pockets rest for approximately 10 minutes.
Garnish + Serve
  1. Finish with freshly grated Parmesan and torn fresh basil.
  2. Bring them to the table with warm Don Pepino Pizza Sauce.
  3. Dip liberally. Devour. Repeat.

Notes

Recipe Notes:
Cut the zucchini small: Smaller pieces cook evenly, fit inside the pockets more easily and distribute the vegetable throughout the filling.
Cook off the moisture: Continue sautéing until the skillet looks relatively dry. Excess zucchini moisture can create soggy pastry.
Cool the filling: Let the sausage and vegetable mixture cool slightly before placing it on the refrigerated dough.
Don’t use too much sauce: The sauce should lightly glaze the filling rather than pool in the skillet.
Don’t overfill: Leaving a clean border around the dough helps create a strong seal.
Make ahead: Assemble the unbaked pizza pockets and freeze them in a single layer until solid. Transfer them to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.
Storage: Refrigerate baked pizza pockets in an airtight container for 3–4 days.
Reheating: Reheat in a 350°F oven for approximately 10–15 minutes for the crispiest pastry.