If you are someone who regularly follows my posts, then you know that my mantra when creating new items involves taking an existing recipe and tweaking it as necessary. I only have a handful of what I call core recipes that I then modify to create many different items. After all, why re-create the wheel?
The same goes for my Stromboli and Calzone – one batch of my thin crust pizza dough is used to make 2 medium stromboli or calzones, and is enough to feed four hungry people. If you’ve never heard of stromboli before, it’s essentially a rolled up pizza– and who doesn’t like pizza.
The most difficult part of making this is choosing the fillings you want to use. It can be tough trying to please everyone, but the more traditional items like pepperoni and sausage are always crowd pleasers. I keep those small packs of pepperoni in the freezer and only take out what I need. You may think that these pre-sliced packs of pepperoni last forever, but they don’t – so between uses, definitely store them in the freezer. I also buy sweet Italian sausages in bulk from the big box stores and portion them out into packages of 2 or 3 when I get home. I take out what I need the night before and let them thaw in the refrigerator. When I’m ready to use, I remove the casing, break the sausage apart with my fingers and cook it up before adding it to the pizza, stromboli or calzone.
I have found that 2 sausages are generally enough, but if you are a real meat lover, you can always add more. I prefer to add some sautéed vegetables like mushrooms, peppers, onions, zucchini, squash, etc., and whatever you choose to add, make sure the vegetables are first sauteed with a little olive oil. Don’t ever use raw vegetables in a product like this because the dough cooks fairly quickly and the vegetables will remain raw. I find it so un-appetizing to have raw, unseasoned vegetables in a cooked product.
When it comes to cheese, I prefer to use very thinly sliced provolone cheese at the bottom and then a little shredded mozzarella over the top of the filling. As always, the beauty of this and any type of homemade meal is that you can use what you like. When making pizza, it’s usually a matter of preference to begin with either the sauce or the cheese, BUT, when making stromboli or calzone it should always be cheese down first. This important step helps the dough on the bottom cook through. Once I have added my cheese I will top with other fillings and then roll it up.
One important thing about Stromboli and calzone is that you have to have a good seal on the dough so that everything does not leak out. You may have a few breaks here and there, but that will happen to all of us. They key here is to prevent the filling from pouring out while baking. Once you have put your stromboli or calzone together, it is important to put them in the refrigerator for 15-30 minutes before baking. This will give the dough time to seal and slowly proof so that it does not remain raw inside.
These lovely little packages are compact and can be made ahead of time and frozen until ready to bake. All you have to remember to do is to preheat your oven, brush on a little egg wash and bake them while you unwind from your day. They can be served warm or even room temperature and make great meals when you’re on the go. Take them with you to picnics, on hikes or long car trips with the kids. The dough stays moist and tender, but won’t be soggy. It’s a really lovely meal and you simply can’t go wrong.
Stromboli or Calzones (makes 2 medium Stromboli or calzones, serves 4)
1 recipe thin crust pizza dough
¾ cup homemade pizza sauce (about 5 tablespoons for each Stromboli)
12 thin slices of provolone (6 slices for each Stromboli)
pepperoni or cooked sausage
1 ½ cups sautéed vegetables, divided for 2 Stromboli
egg wash (1 egg plus 2 tablespoons water)
Make the dough and allow it to proof until double in size, depending on how warm the environment is, it should take anywhere from 60-90 minutes. While it is proofing, prepare your pizza sauce. The recipe provided will make about 3 cups, so make sure to freeze whatever you don’t use. Choose what fillings you would like to use and make sure to pre-cook any vegetables you want to include.
Once the dough has proofed, divide it into 2 equal portions. To make sure I have 2 equal portions, I weigh the dough after I have deflated it. For stromboli, use your fingers or a rolling pin to spread out the dough on your counter into a rectangle shape. It is important that the dough is even and not too thin or it will break in the oven.
Add your fillings and leave about a 1” space along the edge to be able to seal the dough. Add some water to the edge to have a good seal. When making stromboli, fold the sides in first, then roll it up, pinch the bottom to ensure a good seal. Lift the stromboli and place it on a paper line baking sheet.
Brush on a little egg wash…
For calzone, roll out the dough into a large round circle, but make sure it it not too thin…
Add your fillings, leaving an edge around the border. Brush on a little water to help seal the dough. Fold over, seal, brush with egg wash and add slits if necessary…
Bake in a 350°F preheated oven until golden brown, usually about 30-45 minutes. Once it has baked, remove it from the oven and allow it to sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes before slicing because the interior will be very hot. Serve warm or room temperature.
