Ingredients
- 1/4 cup pastry flour
- 1 lb fresh pizza dough, room temperature
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 cup marinara tomato sauce (add additional for dipping)
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- 4 oz turkey pepperoni, divided
- 16 oz shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- 1 tsp basil flakes
- 1 tbsp cornmeal
- 1 large organic egg
- 1 tsp water
Instructions
- Spread pastry flour over the kitchen countertop. Place the room-temperature fresh dough on the flour and shape it into a rough rectangle by hand. Finish shaping and flatten the dough with a rolling pin into a uniform rectangle (approximately 12×16 inches).
- Preheat a cooking pan over medium heat, then add the ground beef and season with the Italian seasoning, sea salt, and black pepper. Cook the meat for 6 to 8 minutes, breaking it into small crumbles. Drain off excess rendered grease and set the beef aside.
- Spread the marinara sauce evenly over the rolled dough, leaving a clean 1-inch border along all edges. Sprinkle the grated Parmesan cheese and pepper flakes evenly over the sauce. Arrange 3 ounces of the turkey pepperoni across the sauce, then scatter the cooked ground beef evenly over the pepperoni.
- Scatter 12 oz of shredded mozzarella over the meat. Top with the remaining 1 oz of turkey pepperoni and 4 oz of mozzarella. Sprinkle the basil flakes evenly over the top layer of cheese.
- Fold the shorter width ends slightly inward over the filling edges. Roll the dough up lengthwise like a cinnamon roll or burrito, tucking the filling snugly as you go. Pinch the outer seam and ends firmly to seal in the melted cheese. Lay the stromboli seam-side down on a clean board.
- Dust the bottom of a large baking sheet (paid link) or parchment-lined sheet pan with cornmeal, then carefully transfer the stromboli onto it.
- Using a sharp knife, cut 4 to 5 small diagonal slits across the top to vent trapped steam during baking. In a small bowl, whisk (paid link) together 1 large organic egg and 1 tsp water until smooth. Using a pastry brush, brush the egg wash generously over the entire top and sides of the stromboli.
- Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Bake the stromboli for 20 minutes, or until the crust is deep golden brown and the cheese is bubbling through the slits. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes to allow the cheese to set. Slice into thick pinwheels and serve warm with marinara sauce for dipping.
Notes
Temper the Dough: Pull the fresh pizza dough out of the refrigerator 30 to 45 minutes before rolling. Cold dough is tight and springs back stubbornly, while room-temperature dough stretches easily into a clean rectangle without tearing.
Drain Meat Thoroughly: Extra grease is the number one cause of soggy stromboli. Drain the cooked ground beef in a colander or spoon it onto paper towels before layering it onto the dough.
Do Not Over-Sauce the Inside: Keep the interior sauce layer light. Too much liquid inside the roll creates steam pockets that prevent the inner dough layers from baking through. Save extra marinara for warm dipping on the side.
Meat & Veggie Swaps: Swap ground beef for mild or hot Italian sausage, or add diced beef bacon and sautéed veggies (mushrooms, bell peppers, onions) to the filling.
Cheese Variations: Add sliced provolone directly over the sauce before layering the meats for an extra-gooey, sharp cheese stretch.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 490
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 940 mg
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg