January 11, 2012

Pepperoni & Mozzarella Stromboli with Spicy Tomato Dipping Sauce {Powernap}

Stromboli

This is the latest installment of my Powernap column. The series where I share quick, easy food that can be made for all kinds of situations. Powernaps are short and sweet, and so are these recipes. These are the things I make in a jiffy when I need a quick snack, am in the mood for a recipe experiment, or simply need to clean out the pantry.

It took me a few days to get back into the rhythm of the school year last week. I don’t know why, like most parents I was thrilled for school to resume, but the first few days were harried and off-kilter. We spent so much of Christmas vacation being sick and spending our days in jammies that getting up and at ’em first thing was a real jolt. When it came to meal time I kept it simple and stuck to some tried and true favorites like spaghetti and meatballs and carrot souffle. I also enjoyed experimenting with a few new, quicker recipes like this Stromboli.

My fried Nicole once explained to me why she used stromboli has one of her go-to meals. It is so easy to make pizza dough anytime during the day, she explained, or you can just use a ball of fresh store-bought dough and get the same results. Then, all you do is roll it up with whatever fillings you want and bake it! I was eager to try this method myself, and there was no better time than a week when I was playing catch-up.

While my daughter was at school I whipped up a batch of fresh pizza dough and let it rise for the afternoon. Prior to dinner I rolled it up with some of our favorite salami and mozzarella and baked it until puffed and golden. On the side I made a quick spicy tomato sauce and kept it warm for dipping. Served with a quick salad it was an easy, fun dinner with a pizza parlor feel. This recipe definitely has a permanent place in repertoire and I plan to experiment with all kinds of different fillings. Next time I might even simply bake the entire thing while she is at school and reheat it for dinner!

Recipe

Pepperoni & Mozzarella Stromboli with Tomato-Basil Dipping Sauce

Ingredients

1 batch homemade pizza dough
1 large package of salami or pepperoni (at least 40 thin slices)
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1 egg
1 teaspoon water

For the sauce:

1 batch spicy tomato dipping sauce

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400F. Roll out the pizza dough to a roughly 13×9 rectangle and place on a lightly oiled baking sheet.

2. Layer the pepperoni onto the dough, leaving a 1-inch border around the dough. Layer the pepperoni as needed so they all fit. Scatter the cheese on top.

3. Whisk the egg and water together with a fork and brush the egg wash all along the border of the pizza dough. Roll up the dough lengthwise and press the seam into the dough at the end. Place the stromboli seam side down on the cookie sheet. Brush the tops with the remaining egg wash.

4. Bake it for about 20, or until the top is golden brown. Allow to cool slightly, slice into 1-inch rounds and serving with dipping sauce.

Naptime Notes

Naptime Recipe Serving ideas

This is just like eating a rolled up pizza and can be really fun for kids or serving at a party. Try filling it with olives, roasted vegetables or just about any kind of cheese you can think of!

Naptime Stopwatch

10 minutes prep time, plus rising time for dough if making homemade

20 minutes bake time

Naptime Reviews

This was a huge hit in our house and stands among one of my husband’s new favorite weeknight dinners.

4 Responses to “Pepperoni & Mozzarella Stromboli with Spicy Tomato Dipping Sauce {Powernap}”

  1. Michael Eriksson says:

    Hi there,

    This looks really tasty and gave me an idea what to do with my leftover pizza dough that I got in the freezer.

    Many thanks for the inspiration!

    // Mike
    http://www.freestylecookery.com

  2. […] the next time I make it, before it disappears! This is completely inspired by a recipe by the Naptime Chef (love that name!) so please check it out as well! Ingredients stromboli 1 batch homemade pizza […]

  3. katie says:

    how much does it serve?

    • KelseyTheNaptimeChef says:

      Hi Katie,

      It would be generous for serving 4 or smaller servings for 6.

      Best,
      Kelsey