Ham & Cheese Stromboli

This recipe is based on one in my "The Best Make-Ahead Recipe" cookbook. I made it for the first time last week, and I love it! It's basically a yummy, fancier ham & cheese sandwich. The stromboli fed my family of 2 adults & 3 little kids. I've also made an Italian version, using pepperoni & salami, and about 1 cup of mozzarella. We dipped it in pizza sauce.

Ham & Cheese Stromboli
(Printable version here)

1 pound pizza dough*
8 oz. thinly sliced deli ham
4 oz. thinly sliced cheddar cheese
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp. sesame seeds
Mustard sauce for dipping, optional

1. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. Also, pull out a piece of foil that's slightly smaller than the baking sheet, and lightly grease one side of it with shortening. (I put my hand in a small plastic bag, and rub the shortening on the foil with this.)

2. On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough into a 12 by 10-inch rectangle, about 1/4 inch thick. Place the ham and cheddar over the dough, leaving a 1-inch border along the edges. Sprinkle with freshly ground pepper, if desired. Brush the edges of the dough with water. Starting from a long side, roll the dough tightly into a long cylinder, pressing the edges to seal.

3. Transfer the stromboli to the baking sheet, seam side down. Brush the egg over the top, and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Next, make 5-6 diagonal slashes across the top with a sharp knife, about 1/4 inch deep.

4. Cover lightly with greased foil. Bake in a 400º oven for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake until the crust is golden, about 25 more minutes. Transfer to a wire rack & let cool 5 minutes. Slice & serve, with mustard on the side if desired.

(This is our favorite- Sweet Baby Ray's Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce)


Note- after placing the uncooked stromboli on the baking sheet, but before slashing & brushing with egg wash, you can cover the baking sheet with plastic wrap & refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Then remove the plastic wrap & resume the recipe as written, just adding 5 minutes to the first baking time. This is very helpful, so you can make it when you have the time!

*Many stores sell 1 pound of dough (like WinCo, or I think Trader Joe's), or you could make your own. I'll try to post that recipe soon. For now, this is the closest I've found to what I used. Or, the cookbook says you can also use a 13.8 ounce package of Pillsbury pizza dough.

Why I love it? Well for one, I enjoy making it. :) It's not hard, and it turns out delicious & "fancy". I also love how it can be made ahead. That works great with my schedule!