Stromboli

Jun 29, 2011 by Nathan    2 Comments    Posted under: Food, Recipes

Who’s kid doesn’t love pizza? It’s the go-to meal for any dad who’s playing it safe trying to get their kids to eat. However, a cheese or pepperoni pizza out of the freezer or even delivered isn’t a very healthy meal. Yes, I know you can add a side salad or some other kind of vegetable on top, but good luck trying to get your kids to eat that when all they see is pizza, pizza, and more pizza.

With a Stromboli you can fold the dough over and hide the veggies! Don’t be mistaken with a calzone, it’s not the same thing.

This meal always rates “two thumbs up” from my kids and hopefully from yours. Mix up the ingredients with what you have on hand. Here’s my classic Stromboli recipe, but try your own version and let me know how it goes in the comments.

You’ll Need:

Fresh pizza dough (you can buy it at your local grocery store, or make your own if you’re adventurous)
Mozzarella cheese
Provolone cheese
Ricotta cheese
Spinach
Pepperoni
Garlic powder
Dried oregano and basil
1-2 cups of pasta sauce

Pre-heat oven to 450 F

Step 1: Layering

1. Spread out the dough on a large baking pan, being careful not to stretch too thin
2. Spread ricotta cheese along the middle section of the dough
3. Add a layer of the following in this order:
   1. Provolone
   2. Spinach
   3. Pepperoni
   4. Mozzarella
4. Season with garlic powder and oregano and basil

Step 2: Folding

1. Take each side of the dough and fold over the middle section so that they slightly overlap
2. Pinch the edges together and fold over the ends
3. Make sure everything is folded over by the dough
4. Drizzle with olive oil or spray with cooking oil
5. Season the outside with oregano, basil, and garlic powder
6. Carefully flip the whole Stromboli over
7. Drizzle with olive oil or spray with cooking oil
8. Season again

Step 3: Cooking

1. Place the pan in the oven’s middle rack
2. Cook for 20-30 minutes until a golden brown
3. Once you remove it, take a sharp knife and score several places on top
4. Let it sit for about 5 minutes
5. If you don’t do #3 or #4, then the cheese will spill out when you cut it and really makes a mess. Trust me on this

Step 4: Eating

1. Heat up the pasta sauce on the stove or in the microwave
2. Cut the Stromboli along the short side in 1 inch wide slices
3. Spread sauce on top, or if you’re like my kids, dunk it
4. Enjoy

Got anything to say? Go ahead and leave a comment!