Classic Stromboli Recipe (Easy Dinner or Quick Appetizer!)

Stromboli is basically pizza that’s been rolled up like a cinnamon roll. The classic ingredients include mozzarella, ham, and salami. I threw in some pepperoni and pepper jack cheese just for fun. It’s so good dipped in marinara! Perfect quick dinner (that kids love) or appetizer for football-watching.

Raise your hand if you’ve had stromboli?? It’s so good. It’s basically pizza that’s rolled up like a cinnamon roll. Minus cinnamon and sugar, plus pepperoni, cheese and marinara sauce. You bake it as a long roll and slice it after it’s baked. My kids loved it. It makes a great quick dinner or would be an awesome appetizer for football watching this fall. If you make it for a meal it would serve about 4 (with a couple sides, I’m thinking broccoli and a big salad) or if you make it as an appetizer then it will serves 6-8, depending on how hungry your guests are.

Ingredients:

• 1 10-12 ounce pizza dough*
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup** mozzarella, shredded (I like to shred fresh mozz.)
• 12 thin slices ham
• 4 ounces Pepper Jack cheese, sliced
• 15-17 salami slices
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
• 15 slices pepperoni
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
• 1/4 cup parsley, chopped fine
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheee
• cracked black pepper, to taste
• more chopped parsley, to garnish
• marinara sauce, for dipping

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Lightly flour a work surface or a square of parchment paper. Roll your pizza dough into a rectangle about 12 by 14 inches. I prefer to roll out my pizza dough on parchment paper, because you can just put the paper straight into the oven without trying to transfer it.
3. Brush the top of the dough with melted butter.
4. Sprinkle garlic over the top. You can either use fresh garlic or the kind in the jar.
5. Sprinkle the top with 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese. Leave a 1-2 inch border around 1 long edge and the two short ends.
6. Top with 12 slices of ham
7. Layer slices of Pepper jack cheese on top of the ham.
8. Layer salami on top of the Pepper jack.
9. Add another 1/2 cup mozzarella.
10. Layer on the pepperoni.
11. Sprinkle the last 1/2 cup mozzarella on top, then sprinkle with parsley.
12. In a small bowl, beat the egg with a fork. Add 1 tablespoon water. Use a brush to coat the 3 exposed edges of your stromboli (short, short, and 1 long edge) with egg wash.
13. Carefully roll up the long edge of your stromboli, starting with the one edge that didn't get the egg wash. Roll it tightly so that it stays together.
14. Seal the seam with wet fingertips, then roll over the stromboli so that the seam is facing down. Seal the ends with wet fingers, folding the dough underneath if there is extra.
15. Transfer the stromboli to a baking sheet or pizza stone.
16. Brush with melted butter or the extra egg wash. Whatever is most handy. I actually used a little of both.
17. Sprinkle the stromboli with Parmesan cheese, then sprinkle with black pepper. Use a sharp serrated knife to make shallow diagonal cuts on top of the stromboli.
18. Bake at 375 for 25-30 minutes, until the top is brown. If you are nervous that it's not done, lift an edge with a spatula and make sure the bottom is brown.
19. Let sit for a few minutes so you don't burn your fingers off. Use a sharp serrated knife to chop into 8-10 slices.
20. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and dip in warm marinara sauce to serve.

Notes:

*This links to a pizza crust that will make TWO 10-12 ounce pizza doughs. So clearly the answer is to double this recipe and make 2 Strombolis :)

**You will need a total of 1 and 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella for the whole recipe.

One more thing, I don't think this recipe is overly spicy with the pepper jack cheese, but if you are very sensitive then just use all shredded mozzarella.