This is a creative and elevated recipe for Italian stromboli featuring salty soppressata, bitter rapini (broccoli rabe), and gooey provolone cheese. Accented with a garlic and oregano infused simple tomato sauce for dipping, this stromboli pizza roll is perfect for parties.
1 ¾cupscanned ground peeled tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, or whole peeled tomatoes crushed by hand
1large garlic cloveminced or crushed
1teaspoonchopped fresh oregano or ½ teaspoon dried oregano
1pound(455 grams) pizza doughhomemade or store-bought, at room temperature
¼cup(30 grams) freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino Romano cheese
4ounces(115 grams) thinly sliced soppressata
4ounces(115 grams) thinly sliced provolone cheese
1large egglightly beaten
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 450°F.
Toss the rapini with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and a big pinch of salt in a large bowl. Spread it out on two large rimmed baking sheets and roast until the stalks are tender and the leaves are slightly charred, 8 to 10 minutes, rotating the pans in the oven halfway through.
Combine the tomatoes with the garlic, oregano, remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, and ½ teaspoon salt. Set aside.
Line a clean, large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll out/stretch the dough on a lightly floured work surface into a 16-by-12-inch rectangle with the long edges parallel to the edge of the countertop. If it is too elastic to roll out the whole way in one shot, cover it with a kitchen towel and let rest for 10 minutes, then continue rolling.
Spread ½ cup of the sauce over the surface of the dough, leaving a 1-inch border. Sprinkle it with the Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino Romano.
Arrange the soppressata in an even layer over the sauce, and then layer the provolone over the soppressata. Sprinkle the rapini over that (you may not use it all).
Brush the bare edges of the dough lightly with some of the beaten egg. Beginning at the long edge closest to you, carefully roll up the dough snugly into a cylinder (like a jelly roll). Press the seam together and tuck in the ends to completely encase the filling.
Place the stromboli, seam-side down, on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the top and sides lightly with the egg. Cut five diagonal slits about 2-inches apart in the top of the dough for steam vents. Bake until the crust is a deep golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Let the stromboli cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing.
Meanwhile, bring the remaining sauce to a simmer over medium heat. Transfer the stromboli to a cutting board and cut it crosswise into slices (you'll likely yield about 16 one-inch slices). Serve directly from the cutting board or on a long platter, with the remaining sauce on the side for dipping.
Notes
This stromboli can easily be enjoyed at room temperature, or gently reheated before slicing if you'd like to make it ahead of time.
You may end up with a bit more roasted rapini than you need for your filling. If you don't use it all (if it seems like too much), you can save the rest to eat as a side dish for another meal. Or add it to an omelet, frittata, quiche, soup, or pasta.