Strombolli
This recipe comes from my cousin Maggie. I’ve lost the original, but I believe this is plenty close. These make wonderful gifts during the holiday season. You can use your favorite bread recipe, try our easy bread recipe below or cheat and use Rhodes bread dough. My daughter, Kasse, uses the frozen, and they always turn out great.
Ingredients
Frozen bread dough, thawed
1/2 pound hot Italian sausage, removed from casings and crumbled
1 cup diced yellow onions
1/2 cup diced red bell peppers
1/2 cup diced green bell peppers
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1/2 pound diced ham
1/4 pound thinly sliced pepperoni or salami, chopped fine
1/2 cup sliced black olives
2 1/2 cups grated provolone
1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella
1 large egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water to make an egg wash
Parmesan cheese
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a large baking sheet and set aside.
In a large skillet, cook the sausage over medium-high heat until browned. Add the onions, bell peppers, and cook, til soft. Add the garlic. Cool.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out half of the dough to a large rectangle, about 10 by 14 inches. Spread half of the cooled sausage mixture across the dough leaving a 1-inch border. Overlapping slightly, layer half of the ham, pepperoni, olives, provolone and mozzarella cheeses over the top. Using a pastry brush, paint the border of 1 long edge with egg wash. Starting at the opposite long end without egg wash, roll up the dough into a cylinder, pinching the edges to seal. Place on the prepared baking sheet and repeat with the remaining ingredients. Let the dough rise, 20 to 30 minutes.
Brush the top of each stromboli with egg wash. Bake until nearly completely golden brown and starting to crisp, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle each stromboli with Parmesan cheese and return to the oven until the cheese is melted and the dough is golden brown, about 5 minutes.
Remove from the oven and let stand 10 minutes. Leave whole to use as gifts or serve hot and slice thickly.
DIANNA’S EASY NO FAIL BREAD
This recipe comes from my sister-in-law Dianna. It’s such an easy bread recipe, I don’t think you can flub it up. I’ve abused it to no end. There have been times I’ve not let it rise. It’s just not too particular about what you do to it.
*2 pkgs. dry yeast mixed with 1/2- 3/4 cup warm water which 2-3 Tbsp. sugar has been added. (Mix the yeast and water thoroughly then add the small amount of sugar) This will make the yeast bubble.
*A little oil (about 1/4 cup added to about 2 cups water) At this time you can add honey to taste, oatmeal, bran, corn meal, etc. I’ve even added orange juice at this point for a different flavor. If you add extra grains or heavier flours cut back on your bread flour. The more grains, and heavier flours the bulkier your bread will be. For a light fluffy loaf use all white bread flour. My family just likes the hearty loaves with soups.
*1 -2 tsp. salt
*Enough flour to make an elastic dough-4-6 cups…give or take. Start with less and add until you get a dough that is easy to handle
Form into loaves, rolls, even cinnamon rolls if you want (for cinnamon rolls add more honey or sugar into the liquid mixture before adding flour and let rise once for a lighter dough)
Bake loaves at 400 degree for 20-30 minutes depending on the size. When a thump on the top sounds hollow, your bread is ready.
For cinnamon rolls bake at a lower temperature.
Good Luck
P.S. You’re probably getting the gist of how I cook. Directions?…not so much.
I turn the dough out into pans, or sometimes just shape them and cook them on a baking stone. I’m not too much on the loaf pan. This is just easier and quicker.
Bread Making Tips Taken From Mrs. McDonald
Longtime Bread Baking Champion
* Add your dry yeast into the lukewarm water (not too hot or it will kill the yeast) add the sugar at this point and let it bubble, this helps activate the yeast When it starts to bubble then add your other ingredients
* Never add salt until your yeast is activated. I usually add the salt when I’m adding my liquids together after the yeast has bubbled.
*Less flour makes a lighter loaf
*Lower temperature 25 degrees if using a glass pan
*Use a shiny pan opposed to a dull one
*Foil placed in bottom of oven keeps bread from browning too much.