Recipes › Bread & Pizza › Homemade Stromboli Recipe

Homemade Stromboli Recipe

Recipe by Pedro M. A. Neves

Stromboli is a classic Italian-American rolled bread filled with cured meats, cheeses, and vegetables, then baked until golden and crispy. This homemade version features a tender pizza dough wrapped around layers of Italian cold cuts and melted mozzarella for an impressive yet simple main course. Serve it warm with marinara sauce for dipping.

Ingredients

• 500g (3.5 cups) all-purpose flour
• 7g (2.25 tsp) instant yeast
• 10g (2 tsp) salt
• 15ml (1 tbsp) olive oil
• 325ml (1.25 cups) warm water
• 200g (7 oz) sliced Italian cold cuts (mix of salami, capicola, and Italian ham)
• 150g (5 oz) whole milk mozzarella, sliced thin
• 75g (0.75 cup) provolone cheese, sliced
• 50g (0.5 cup) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 100g (1 cup) roasted red bell peppers, drained and sliced
• 75g (0.75 cup) fresh spinach, roughly chopped
• 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
• 5ml (1 tsp) Italian seasoning
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Mix flour, yeast, and salt in a large bowl. Add olive oil and warm water, stirring until a shaggy dough forms. Knead on a floured surface for 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic.

2. Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a damp towel, and let rise at room temperature for 1-1.5 hours until doubled in size.

3. Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). Punch down the dough and roll out on parchment paper into a rectangle approximately 30cm x 25cm (12 x 10 inches), about 6mm (0.25 inch) thick.

4. Arrange cold cuts in overlapping layers across the dough, leaving a 2cm (0.75 inch) border on all sides. Layer mozzarella slices, provolone, Parmigiano-Reggiano, roasted peppers, and spinach evenly over the meats. Season lightly with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.

5. Starting from the long side closest to you, roll the dough tightly into a log, pinching the seams closed as you go. Seal the ends by pinching firmly, then place seam-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

6. Brush the entire surface with beaten egg wash, then score shallow diagonal cuts (about 1cm deep) across the top at 5cm (2 inch) intervals to create a crosshatch pattern.

7. Bake for 30-35 minutes until the crust is deep golden brown and crispy. The internal temperature at the thickest part should reach 75°C (165°F).

8. Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Cut with a serrated knife using a gentle sawing motion to avoid squashing the filling.

Substitutions

• Replace Italian cold cuts with sliced roasted turkey breast for a leaner option
• Use a mixture of ricotta and spinach instead of mozzarella and provolone for a vegetarian version
• Substitute all-purpose flour with 250g all-purpose and 250g whole wheat flour for added fiber
• Replace roasted red peppers with sautéed mushrooms and caramelized onions

Tips

• Ensure fillings are at room temperature before assembling to prevent dough from becoming too warm and sticky during rolling
• Slice the stromboli with a serrated bread knife using gentle sawing motions rather than pressing down, which helps maintain the structure and prevents the filling from compressing
• For crispier crust, place a shallow pan of water on the oven rack below the stromboli during the first 15 minutes of baking to create steam

Stromboli is believed to have originated in the Italian-American communities of the northeastern United States, particularly Philadelphia, in the early 20th century. While not traditional to Italy itself, it draws inspiration from Italian culinary traditions of combining cured meats and cheeses, adapted to use the bread-making techniques familiar to Italian immigrants.

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