Sandwich maker

A portable, hand-operated device for making a stuffed pizza sandwich comprising:

• a base having a base cavity including a plurality of slots positioned in a spaced fashion therein and extending through the base cavity;
• a lid separably hinged to the base and configured to swing along a longitudinal edge of the base between an open position and a closed position with the base, the lid including a lid cavity having a rim element extending around a portion of a perimeter of the lid cavity, wherein the lid and base together are configured to receive and support a dough sheet when the lid is in the open position, wherein a portion of the dough sheet is positioned within the base cavity so as to receive stuffing ingredients;
• and wherein the lid cavity and base cavities are juxtaposed when the lid is in the closed position and the rim element contacts a deck around a portion of a perimeter of the base cavity such that the rim element squeezes and cuts through overlapping layers of the dough sheet after the dough sheet is folded onto the base so as to seal stuffing ingredients with a dough shell formed thereby;
• a perforating member separably coupled to the base external to the base cavity and moveable between a normally retracted position and an extended position, wherein the perforating member includes a plurality of teeth spaced along the perforating member such that each tooth of the plurality of teeth aligns with a corresponding slot of the plurality of slots, and wherein each tooth is configured to extend into the base cavity via the corresponding slot when the perforating member is in the extended position so as to cut slits in the portion of the sheet of dough positioned within the base cavity;
• and
• an ejector including a plate element configured to be positioned within the base cavity and a plurality of shafts extending from the plate element and configured to extend through corresponding ejector slots in the base cavity and in the perforating member, wherein the plate element includes a plurality of slots configured to align with the plurality of slots extending through the base cavity, and wherein the ejector is moveable between a normally retracted position where the plate element rests on a bottom of the base cavity and an extended position away from the bottom so as to push a sandwich from the base cavity.