Stromboli is an Italian food made out of the need and wish to enjoy pizza on the go. It comes with all the goodness of pizza with the ease of eating it like a sandwich. Stromboli is a type of turnover filled with sauce, cheese and cold cuts of meat. Calzones are similar to Stromboli but they are two distinct dishes. Most people think that is the ingredients that primarily make up the difference between them. But in actually, the ingredients are similar and are either chosen by the chef or the guest ordering the dish.
The principal difference is actually that while Stromboli is served with sauce on the inside of the folded crust, a calzone has the sauce on the side or on top. the origin of Stromboli is a bit unclear, but it seems to date back to around the 1950s. Romano Italian restaurant and Pizzeria just outside of Philadelphia, claims to have originated Stromboli in 1950s. Another story relates the origin of Stromboli to Mike Aquino Sr of Mike’s burger royal in Spokane, Washington created a sandwich in 1954 with chili sauce and named the sandwich after the movie Stromboli.
Either way the delicious sandwich, it is a type of turner using Italian bread dough. Shaped into a square, it is filled with sauce, meats and cheese, rolled into a log and then baked. It’s filled with various cheeses and Italian meats.
Calzone on the other hand translates to “stocking” or “trouser” and originated in Naples, Italy. Calzone dough is similar to pizza dough and is stuffed with cheese, meats and vegetables. The dough is traditionally made with flour, water, yeast, salt and olive oil.
Calzones in the United States are typically made from pizza dough and stuffed with cheeses, meats and vegetables. The dough is traditionally made with flour, water, yeast, salt and olive oil. First, the yeast is proofed in warm water and then all ingredients are mixed until the dough is slightly sticky. The dough is kneaded on a floured board then placed in a warm location, covered with a moist towel and allowed time to rise. Once the dough has doubled in size, it is punched down, allowed to rise again and then formed into the desired shape for the calzone.
Calzones are commonly stuffed with cheeses including mozzarella, Parmesan, ricotta, Provolone or a local cheese. These pillowy treats typically are served covered with marinara sauce or topped with olive oil, garlic and parsley. The dough is folded in half and sealed or formed into a circular shape and then baked. Some New York and Italian calzones are fried instead of baked but I prefer to bake them.
Now that you’re completely bewildered, remember that a calzone is a type of turnover filled with various cheeses, typically mozzarella, and veggies or Italian meats, such as salami, capicola and bresaola. A Stromboli is made with square-shaped pizza dough that can be topped with any pizza toppings, and is then rolled into a log and baked.
Stromboli
Ingredients
For Pizza Dough
All-purpose flour 1 1/2 cup
Warm water 1 cup
Extra virgin olive oil 2 tbsp
Dry Yeast 2 tsp
Honey 1/2 tsp
Salt 3/4 tsp
Pizza sauce 250 ml
Mozzarella cheese 500 gm
Turkey ham 12-15 slices
Chicken salami 12-15 slices
Egg 1 nos.
Parmesan cheese 4 tbsp
Method
For the pizza dough, sift flour and salt in a bowl and keep aside.
In a separate bowl combine honey, yeast and half of warm water and let it stand for 5 minutes to allow yeast to activate.
Combine the yeast mixture to the flour and add the remaining water to make soft dough.
Lightly grease the dough with 1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil.
Rest the dough and cover with moist kitchen towel, allow the dough to rise to double in size.
Knead the dough again to deflate and roll the dough flat to a large rectangle.
Preheat the oven at 450 degrees Fahrenheit and line a sheet and with parchment paper.
Place the dough on the parchment paper and spoon 8 tbsp of pizza sauce and spread it over 3/4th of the dough, leaving an 1/2 inch border on three sides and 2 inch border on the longer side.
Sprinkle with half of the mozzarella and top with turkey ham and chicken salami. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.
In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and water and brush the edges with the egg wash.
Fold the three sides using the parchment paper, roll the dough 1/3rd of the way.
Grab the other side of the parchment paper and fold it over the rest of the way.
Position the Stromboli in the centre of the pan, seam side down.
Brush the entire thing with egg wash and make diagonal slits for venting.
Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and bake for 10 minutes.
Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and continue to bake for 10-12 minutes.
Remove and allow the Stromboli to cool for 5 minutes before slicing 1 to 2 inch strips.
Serve alongside the warm pizza sauce for dunking.
* Chef Tarun Kapoor, Culinary Mastermind, USA. He may be contacted at [email protected]
Stromboli. Photo by the author
