The Scoop
Nona's Homemade Stromboli is a nostalgic dish, embracing change and connection.
Moving away from home to pursue the unknown has a unique way of turning off the autopilot. The first time I realized this was during my first meet-and-greet dinner after starting my new job in a bustling city. I was intimidated but determined to connect with the diverse team I was joining. A coworker brought a dish that reminded me of Nona's stromboli, and it made me feel unexpectedly at home. As I reached for a slice, I remembered how Nona carefully layered each slice of pepperoni, salami, and ham, adding just enough mozzarella to glue it all together, and the way she’d brush every inch with that magical egg wash.
Nona's recipe was a staple we’d make together for family gatherings at home. The way she spread the marinara over the dough with perfectly steady hands was an art form I aspired to replicate. She always said, ‘Let it rest a bit before slicing; like life, sometimes you need to pause.’ That night, at my new workplace, I shared these moments with my colleagues while we devoured the cheesy, meaty, and perfectly golden-brown stromboli. It connected us instantly.
Now every time I prepare stromboli, I roll out the dough on a flour-dusted counter and sprinkle it with Italian seasoning. The rich aroma brings back memories of that bridge between an old home and a new one—comfort in change. It's more than just dinner—it's a warm welcome through a beloved family dish.
Ingredients
- flour, to taste, for dusting a work surface
- 1 (13.8-ounce) can refrigerated pizza dough, such as Pillsbury™ Classic Pizza Crust
- 1/3 cup jarred marinara sauce, plus more, to taste, for serving
- 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 4 ounces ham, sliced
- 4 ounces salami, sliced
- 4 ounces pepperoni, sliced
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- fresh parsley, optional, to taste, chopped, for garnish
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Line an 18x26-inch baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Using the flour, lightly dust a work surface.
- On the prepared work surface, turn out the pizza dough and, using a rolling pin, roll it out into an approximately 12x16-inch rectangle.
- Add 1/3 cup of the marinara sauce on top of the pizza dough, spreading it out evenly, leaving a 1-inch border all the way around 3 sides of the dough, and a 3-inch border on the long side furtherest from you.
- Evenly sprinkle 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese over the marinara sauce layer.
- Evenly layer the ham, the salami, and the pepperoni over the mozzarella layer.
- Evenly add the remaining mozzarella cheese over the meat layer.
- In a small bowl, add the egg, the water, the Italian seasoning, and the garlic powder and whisk to combine.
- Starting with the long side closest to you, tightly roll up the pizza dough, careful not to push out the toppings. Make sure to stop rolling just before reaching the long 3-inch empty border.
- With a pastry brush, evenly apply the egg mixture over the pizza dough borders, especially where the edges will meet.
- By hand, pinch the egg mixture-brushed borders and edges together.
- Seam-side down, transfer the stromboli to the prepared baking sheet.
- Brush the top and sides of the dough surface with the remaining egg mixture.
- Bake until golden-brown and slightly puffed, about 24-28 minutes.
- Transfer the baked stromboli from the oven to a wire rack and let it rest before slicing, about 5-10 minutes.
- With a serrated knife or large pizza cutter, slice the stromboli into serving-size pieces, garnish with the chopped parsley, and serve with the extra marinara sauce.
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