One summer break a few years ago, my brother and I got into the habit of making stromboli twice a week. It started out harmlessly enough, just making use of leftover bread dough and ham combined with late-night Pizza Hut cravings. But within a few weeks, we were adding so many fatty meats and cheeses that now the very idea of stromboli makes me vaguely nauseous. So, now I stick to making regular pizza! The only topping here is sausage, but since the crust is thick and sturdy, you can pile a lot in there. For bunnies and vegetarians, sauteed baby spinach and halved mushrooms substitute for the sausage just about as well as vegetables can substitute for meat. This recipe makes enough dough for two crusts; you can halve it, but who doesn't want two pizzas?
3.25 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (16.25 ounces)
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal (2.75 ounces)
2.25 teaspoons sugar
2.25 teaspoons rapid-rise yeast
2 teaspoons salt
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1.25 cups water
1 onion
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
2 cloves garlic
28 ounces canned crushed tomatoes
1/2 pound mozzarella cheese
1 pound ground sausage
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
In a large bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, yeast, 1.5 teaspoons salt, and 2 teaspoons sugar.
Melt 3 tablespoons butter in the microwave and combine with the flour mixture.
If you're lucky enough to have a stand mixer, the dough hook will make this process super easy. Since I barely have enough counter space for my current appliances, I bought this handheld electric mixer that happened to come with these silly dough spiral attachments. Surprisingly, they handle dough very well! Drizzle in the water and combine with an electric mixer or by hand.
When the water is fully incorporated, it should look like this, sort of a shaggy, rough ball.
Continue to knead for 5 minutes by machine or hand.
When it's done, the dough should look quite different: glossy, smooth, and less sticky to your fingers.
Remove the dough to a counter, oil the bowl, and add the dough back in. Flip the dough around until it's lightly coated in oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for an hour. Doesn't he look sleepy and cozy in there?
Peel the onion and grate it on the large holes of a box grater.
Melt 2 tablespoons butter on medium heat and when foaming, add the onion, oregano, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook for 5 minutes, until the onion is light brown. Mince the garlic, add, and cook for 2 minutes. Make sure the garlic doesn't burn!
Add the tomatoes and 1/4 teaspoon sugar. I normally don't like canned tomatoes since they taste sort of metallic and you can't tell how much salt is in that can. But since the sauce simmers for a while, the unpleasant tastes fade away. Increase the heat to medium-high until the sauce boils, then to medium-low and simmer uncovered, stirring often, until the crust is ready (at least 30 minutes). When finished, most of the water will have evaporated, and the sauce will just start to stick to the bottom of the pan.
When the dough is just about doubled in size, divide it in half. You can put the other half in a ziploc bag and freeze it for later.
Now you can stretch the dough by hand letting gravity work for you...
..or just sort of pat it out...
...or roll it..
..or all three, until it forms a circle about 12 inches wide.
Lightly coat a 10-inch pan with oil. To easily move the dough, fold quickly into quarters, transfer into the baking dish, and unfold.
Stretch gently until the dough comes up to the lip of the pan. Cast iron works beautifully to contain heat and brown the crust.
Shred the mozzarella and fill the crust.
If the sausage came in casings, squeeze the meat out and break it up. Add it in a single layer.
When the sauce is done cooking, add the olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.
Add half of the sauce and save the rest (fridge or freezer) for the other half of the dough. Add the Parmesan on top.
Bake at 425 degrees in the lower half of the oven for about 25 minutes until the crust is lightly browned.
Seriously amazing.
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