Vegetable Stromboli

Tender crisp veggies and cheese are wrapped in homemade pizza dough, for a simple and delicious meatless meal!

I am a total carb lover. It seems like everything I should try to limit to get healthier and more fit, is everything I've been craving lately. Carbs like bread, pasta, bagels, ooey gooey cheese, sweets..... these are things I've been craving since the cold weather hit. Trying to be more mindful of what I am eating, I've been trying to limit carbs to one meal per day. But when I do have carbs, I want them to be worth it!

Pizza has always been a hit in our house. My SO and my son would have pizza everyday if they could. While I also enjoy a good pizza pie, sometimes I want something different. So I decided to make Stromboli. Stromboli is a type of turnover, usually filled with Italian cheeses and cold cuts/vegetables. It is made by either using Italian bread dough, or pizza dough. It was invented in U.S, and is typically rolled into a cylindrical shape.

I decided to stuff mine with veggies and cheese, and to fold the dough over like a braid, to make it more aesthetically pleasing. The dough was chewy and the veggies were tender crisp. Dripping with ooey cheese, we dipped it in homemade marinara, for a fantastically delicious meatless meal.

Veggie Stromboli

Dough:
2 1/2 C unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 C whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1 1/3 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
1 envelope (2 1/4 tsp) active dry yeast

Filling:
2 onions, peeled and sliced
2 Tbs olive oil
1 Tbs butter
1 tsp brown sugar
2 1/2 C broccoli florets, lightly steamed
1 red pepper, sliced
1/2 C cheddar cheese, shredded
1 C mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/4 tsp red chili flakes
fresh cracked pepper

Using your preferred method, make your Stromboli dough. I like using my bread machine set to the dough setting. I add the water, salt, oil and sugar to the insert, followed by the flour and yeast. Once dough has risen once, prepare to roll out the Stromboli.

While dough rises, preheat a large skillet over med-low heat. Add the oil and butter and once the butter begins to sizzle, add the onions. Cook slowly, until onions become a gorgeous golden colour; about 15-20 minutes. Stir in the brown sugar and set aside.

On a lightly floured surface roll out the bread dough into a 18x13 inch rectangle. Spread the caramelise onions down the center of the dough, top with red pepper, steamed broccoli and shredded cheese. Season with chili flakes.

Starting at the edge of the filling, make parallel horizontal cuts in the dough at 1" intervals down both sides. Leave a 1" border at the top and bottom. Fold the top and bottom edges over the filling. Take the top right hand strip and fold it over the filling. Fold the left hand strip over the filling, crossing over the first strip. Repeat, alternating strips to create a braid effect. Season with fresh cracked pepper.

Gently pick up the braid and place on a greased baking sheet. Cover the braid and let rise 20-30 minutes. While dough rises, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake risen braid for 30-35 minutes; until golden brown. Remove from oven and let rest 10 minutes before cutting. Serve with favourite marinara sauce.