Stromboli is a sandwich made with a square pizza dough (either rolled or folded) filled with pizza toppings, similar to a calzone. Stromboli is also an active volcano located off the north coast of Sicily in the Tyrrhenian Sea. While foods are often named for places, this dish is not the case.

There are several rumors relating to the origin of this sandwich, with multiple people taking credit for the creation of this treat. The story I like the best is that a pizza artisan in Essington, Pennsylvania developed an unnamed rolled sandwich that he regularly featured in his shop in 1950, the same year that Roberto Rossellini directed “Stromboli”, an Italian-American film starring Ingrid Bergman. One of the regular patrons loved the nameless sandwich, Bergman, and the move, and suggested that it should be called Stromboli. Whether or not this is the real story, I guess we may never know, but I think it’s a fun tale.

Print

Braided Stromboli

Pizza-ala-sandwich. Easy to make Stromboli is a fun way to change up pizza night.

Course Appetizer, Main Course, Snack

Cuisine American, Italian

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Ingredients

• 1 pizza dough
• ½ cup spaghetti sauce
• assorted pizza topping of your choice
• 1 cup shredded cheese

Instructions

• Heat oven to 400° F.
• Start by rolling out a pizza dough into a rectangle on a well-floured board (I used one that I keep in the freezer from my basic dough recipe).
• Spread the sauce lengthwise down the center third of the dough, and layer with your choice of pizza toppings.
• Then using a sharp knife make a series of cuts about 1″ wide down both sides, working from the filling out to the edge of the dough.
• Stretch the strips across the filling, alternating from side to side to create a “braid”.
• Transfer the Stromboli onto a parchment covered baking sheet.
• Place in the oven for about 15 – 20 minutes, or until top is golden.
• Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing (The filling will be extremely hot so take caution).

Notes

This easy to make Pizza Dough is a winner.  I make it ahead of time and keep it in the freezer so it is always on hand.

Yesterday was one of those days where things just did not go quite as planned. The day began in a normal peaceful manner. I enjoyed having my coffee and listening to the birds sing, catching up on the news, and working on a post to share. Knowing I had some errands to run that would keep me away most of the day, I planned on making a pizza for dinner. That would be easy. I knew I had some odds and ends to use up after having company last weekend. (Seems to always be the case after I feed a bunch of folks). I had a frozen pizza dough that I had made a few weeks ago in the freezer, so I moved it to the fridge where it would be waiting for me upon my return.

I decided to treat myself to a full service car wash. The long winter months, and my neglect had wreaked havoc on the interior of the car, so I felt justified with the expense of this lavish treat. Like a little kid, I ran from window to window to watch the car being pulled through the soapy roller-coaster of brushes. The sun danced on the glistening vehicle which seemed proud to be lined up in the parade of shiny cars waiting for their final detailing. As I stood watching the young people aerobically polish the cars from top to bottom, it appeared that mine was in the lane with the least ambitious employees on duty. With the wave of a towel a young man signaled that the car was ready. But wait! They did not vacuum! The main purpose of this visit!  After a conversation with the crew leader, they made good and completed the detailing, but my quick trip to the car wash had now turned into more than an hour.

Across town I got stuck in traffic for another hour, only to find that the roads were completely closed where I was trying to go.  By now the day had turned to late afternoon and my last good nerve was shot. It was right then that I made the corporate decision to head home and have an icy cold beer.

Back in the safety of my kitchen, with an adult beverage in hand, I was able to think about the pizza.

Making pizza at home is an easy and cost-effective way to use up the “odds and ends” in the fridge, giving new life to leftovers that might otherwise be overlooked. I can almost always find ingredients that can be used for toppings without a trip to the store. By shredding that small bit of chicken or roast, thinly slicing the last part of a steak, or crumbling up a grilled burger from the night before, there is very little that can not be reborn on a pizza. Remember a small amount goes along way. Six to eight ounces of meat on a pizza is plenty, the goal here is to use up the last bits.

I found in my fridge, one grilled hamburger patty, a bit of red and green pepper previously prepped for a salad, some onion, four mushrooms and cheese. Perfect!

I rolled out my thawed pizza dough and spread about three tablespoons of red sauce edge to edge using the back of my spoon. I keep a jar of prepared pasta sauce in the fridge just for this purpose. Next I sprinkled my ingredients evenly over the pie, finishing it off with the cheese.

Pizza cooks best in a hot oven, 425° F. Make sure the oven is hot before you place your pizza. Bake it for about 12 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbling.

At the table I don’t think anyone you serve your pizza to would know that it was a leftover (unless you want them to), and what a simple way to make an easy, delicious, and nutritious dinner.