Stromboli
A rolled pizza dough loaf filled with salami, ham, pepperoni and melted mozzarella, brushed with garlic butter and baked until golden. Slice and dip in marinara.
Making Stromboli Ahead
Keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat slices in a 180°C / 350°F (160°C fan) oven for 10 minutes to crisp the crust. Freezes for 2 months.
Making Stromboli
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Mix the flour, yeast, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Add the water and olive oil and mix to a soft dough. Knead on a lightly floured surface for 8 minutes, until smooth and elastic.
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Put the dough in an oiled bowl, cover and leave to rise for 1 hour, until doubled in size.
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Heat the oven to 220°C / 425°F (200°C / 390°F fan) and line a large baking tray with baking parchment.
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Knock the air out of the dough and roll it out on a floured surface into a rectangle about 30 x 40 cm.
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Lay the provolone, salami, ham and pepperoni over the dough, leaving a 2.5 cm border all round. Scatter with the mozzarella, Parmesan and Italian seasoning.
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Roll up tightly from one long side, like a Swiss roll. Tuck in the ends, pinch the seam to seal and set it seam side down on the tray. Cut 4 diagonal slits in the top and brush with the beaten egg.
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Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until deep golden brown. Mix the melted butter with the garlic and brush it over the hot loaf.
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Rest for 10 minutes so the cheese sets, then slice with a serrated knife and serve with warm marinara for dipping.
Worth Knowing
- Do not overfill it. Too much filling bursts through the seam, and the middle of the loaf stays raw and doughy.
- Pinch the seam firmly and set the loaf seam side down. A loose seam opens in the oven and the cheese leaks onto the tray.
- Let it rest for 10 minutes before you slice it. Straight from the oven, the cheese is molten and runs out at the first cut.
Why the Method Is What It Is
Stromboli is an Italian-American invention, a pizza turned inside out. A sheet of pizza dough is layered with cured meats and cheese, rolled up like a Swiss roll and baked until the outside is golden and crisp and the inside is a mass of melted cheese and savoury meat. It is said to have been invented in 1950 by Nazzareno Romano at his restaurant in Essington, near Philadelphia, who named it after the volcanic Italian island of Stromboli, and after a film of the same name that was in cinemas that year, starring Ingrid Bergman. It is often confused with a calzone, but the two are different. A calzone is a folded half-moon with a ricotta filling, and a stromboli is a long rolled loaf, cut into thick slices, and it can carry a much larger amount of filling. It is made from pizza dough, so it is easy to make and you can use a shop-bought ball of dough if you are short of time. What makes a good one is restraint. Overfilling makes the dough burst in the oven and leaves the centre raw and doughy, so leave a clear border, roll tightly and seal the seam well. Slitting the top lets steam escape. A brush of garlic butter after baking gives the crust a glossy, savoury finish. It is best after 10 minutes of rest, when the cheese has stopped flowing, so it cuts cleanly.
What to Put Next to It
Marinara sauce · Green salad · Chianti
Swaps and Variations
- An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the usual stand-in when you are out of fresh garlic — it will not caramelise the same way, but it carries the flavour.
Questions About Stromboli
How long does Stromboli take to make?
About 1 hour of hands-on work — 30 minutes of preparation and 30 minutes of cooking — plus 1 hour of Rising, so allow 2 hours from start to finish. The recipe serves 6.
What are the key tips for making Stromboli?
Do not overfill it. Too much filling bursts through the seam, and the middle of the loaf stays raw and doughy. Pinch the seam firmly and set the loaf seam side down. A loose seam opens in the oven and the cheese leaks onto the tray. Let it rest for 10 minutes before you slice it. Straight from the oven, the cheese is molten and runs out at the first cut.
What should I serve with Stromboli?
Marinara sauce; Green salad; Chianti.
Can Stromboli be made ahead or frozen?
Keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat slices in a 180°C / 350°F (160°C fan) oven for 10 minutes to crisp the crust. Freezes for 2 months.
Is Stromboli suitable for a special diet?
This recipe is high-protein. Those labels are checked against the ingredient list, so a dish is only marked when nothing in it contradicts the claim.
How many calories are in Stromboli?
About 616 kcal per serving, with 30 g protein, 52 g carbohydrate and 32 g fat. The figures are calculated from the ingredient list and are an estimate.
Nutrition per Serving
Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.
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Written and tested by Turab
One person, one kitchen — no test kitchen, no team. How every recipe on this site is checked before it goes up.
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