Stromboli pizza is great for lunch or snacks and makes perfect finger food. Try different fillings with meats and cheeses or go for a vegan or vegetarian option.
Add the yeast and sugar to the warm water and mix together. Leave to stand for 5 minutes.
300 ml warm water, 2 teaspoon or 7g of active dry yeast, 2 teaspoon sugar
Place the flour in a bowl or stand mixer. Slowly add the water and mix together with a fork or with a dough hook or paddle. Mix together on a low speed for 2 minutes. You can also mix it by hand in a mixing bowl.
500 g strong bread or plain flour/all-purpose flour
Turn the dough out onto a clean surface. Put some flour on your hands and knead your dough together until it has a springy texture.
Now place your dough in a bowl and cover it with a clean damp cloth. This stops your dough from drying out. Leave it to rise at room temperature for around 60 minutes. It should roughly double in size.
Preheat the oven to 200°C / 400°F and line two baking tins with reusable silicone baking mats or baking parchment.
Divide your dough mixture into two. Sprinkle some flour on your work surface and knead each one again for a few minutes to get rid of the air pockets. Roll out into two rectangle shapes to fit on your baking sheets roughly 10 x 16 inches / 25cm x 40cm. Place the dough on the lined baking sheets.
The Fillings
Melt your butter and add in the crushed garlic. Spread evenly over the two bases. Sprinkle the herbs on top.
Add on your toppings in an even layer, leaving a border of around 1 inch /2.5cm on the two short sides and one long side. On the other long side, leave a larger border of 3 inches / 7 cm. This is because when you roll the stromboli, the ingredients will be pushed out. Start with the meats and add the cheese on top. If you're making a veggie stromboli, add the vegetables in an even layer, then sprinkle the cheese over the top. You need roughly 200g / ½ lb of meat and cheese per stromboli.
450 g thinly sliced meats, 400 g grated or shredded mozarella cheese
Mix the egg with the water and brush the edges of the dough with the egg wash, including the 3 inch gap at the top.
1 egg, beaten, 1 tablespoon cold water
Dust your hands with flour and carefully roll each piece longways, tucking in the edges as you go.
Brush each stromboli with the egg wash. Cut 3 - 4 slits in each one to let the steam escape. Sprinkle with some fresh parsley or garlic granules (optional)
Bake in the centre of the oven for 25 minutes. If you're cooking both at the same time, you will need to swap them over half way through cooking and possibly add another 2 -3 minutes to the cooking time.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool for around 5 minutes. Slice them with a serrated knife into pieces about 1 inch thick.
Notes
Tips
The dough. If you don't want to make as much stromboli as the recipe, it's best not to halve it. Just freeze the dough you don't need for another time, (see note below). You can also use store bought ready to roll pizza dough.Garlic Butter. If you are using a garlic butter rather than a tomato paste or a pesto, I recommend using an unsalted butter. This is because cheese is quite salty and it helps not to make the saltiness too overpowering.Salami. If possible, buy your salami from a deli counter rather than pre-packaged. Pre-packaged ones can be a bit greasy and not as flavoursome as ones that are freshly sliced.
Fillings
Meat Fillings. The meat must be cooked and the best meats are italian salami or cured meats such as prosciutto or pepperoni. You can also use deli meats such as ham, turkey, chicken or bacon. Cheeses. Grated Mozarella cheese is the most common cheese to use. You could also try other good melting cheese such as gruyere, fontina, provolone or a nice creamy gorgonzola which has a stronger flavour. Don't be tempted to add more cheese than the recipe states. You need around 200g of cheese per stromboli.Veggies/Herbs. Parsley, basil or Italian seasoning are all great herbs to use. Mushrooms, red or yellow peppers, sauteed red onion or spinach all work well. You need to be able to roll your stromboli so make sure the vegetable chunks are not too big. You can also use antipasti ingredients such as olives and roasted peppers.Sauce. Some people like to include a tomato pizza or marinara sauce whilst others use this for dipping once the stromboli is cooked. Make sure not to use too much as it will make your dough soggy. I recommend using a tomato paste instead which is thicker. A garlic butter as a base is easy and adds amazing flavour. You can also use pesto which brings lots of deep flavours but is thick enough not to make the dough soggy.
A Vegan or Vegetarian Stromboli
In place of garlic butter, use a sun dried tomato paste or pesto. You need around 100g per stromboli. For the vegetables, use peppers, red onion, mushrooms, spinach or antipasti ingredients such as olives and roasted red peppers. It's tempting to overfill your stromboli when you're using vegetables as they are bulkier than just meat and cheese. Remember to leave a gap of around 3 inches at the top as the vegetables will move up when you roll it. Add in a vegan cheese if you like. You need around 200g of cheese per stromboli. Instead of egg to baste, just use a little water which will help you seal your pastry edges. Cook as per the instructions in the recipe card.
Freezing Uncooked
Pizza dough can be frozen for up to 3 months. You can also prepare your stromboli and then freeze it before cooking. Roll up the stromboli, but don't put any slits in the pastry or glaze it. Wrap it up carefully so it doesn't get freezer burn. To defrost, place it in the fridge overnight. To cook, add a few slits to the pastry to let the steam escape and brush with egg or milk. It may take a few minutes longer to cook since it wil be going in to the oven at fridge temperature.
Freezing Cooked
You can also freeze stromboli once it has been cooked, making it a great standby and perfect if you want to prepare party appetizers in advance. Allow to cool before freezing and wrap it in foil. Defrost it at room temperature for one hour, then cover loosely with foil and reheat in the oven at 180C / 350F for 30 minutes. If your stromboli contains meat, make sure the meat is piping hot.
Storing in the fridge
Cooked stromboli can be stored in the fridge for 1 week.