Pizza Stromboli — A Warm Kitchen Valentine

Valentine's week.

Drove Tuesday.

Gayle had a good week.

Valentine's Saturday. Dave pork chops. Gayle gave me a card saying "I love you Brenda" in her careful handwriting.

Sunday: roast chicken.

That Valentine’s week reminded me that love really does show up in the simplest ways — Dave at the stove with those pork chops, Gayle’s careful handwriting in a card, a quiet Sunday roast. When I want to carry that same warm, everyone-together feeling into another night, I turn to this Pizza Stromboli. It’s the kind of recipe that fills the kitchen with a smell that pulls people in from the other room, and really, isn’t that just another way of saying I love you?

Pizza Stromboli

Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 25 min | Total Time: 45 min | Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 1 lb refrigerated pizza dough, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup pizza sauce, plus more for dipping
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup sliced pepperoni
• 1/4 cup sliced black olives (optional)
• 1/4 cup diced green bell pepper
• 1/4 cup diced onion
• 1/2 tsp dried Italian seasoning
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
• 1 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat oven. Heat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Roll the dough. On a lightly floured surface, roll the pizza dough into a rectangle roughly 12×10 inches. Transfer carefully to the prepared baking sheet.
3. Add the sauce. Spread the pizza sauce evenly over the dough, leaving a 1-inch border on all sides.
4. Layer the fillings. Scatter the mozzarella over the sauce, then layer on the pepperoni, olives, bell pepper, and onion. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning and garlic powder.
5. Roll and seal. Starting from one long edge, roll the dough tightly into a log. Pinch the seam and fold in the ends firmly to seal in the fillings. Place seam-side down on the baking sheet.
6. Egg wash and finish. Brush the top and sides of the stromboli with the beaten egg. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Use a sharp knife to cut 3–4 shallow diagonal slits across the top to allow steam to escape.
7. Bake. Bake for 22–25 minutes, or until the crust is deep golden brown and the filling is bubbling through the vents. Let rest 5 minutes before slicing.
8. Serve. Slice into thick rounds and serve with warm pizza sauce on the side for dipping.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 340 | Protein: 15g | Fat: 13g | Carbs: 38g | Fiber: 2g | Sodium: 780mg