Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
This ham and cheese stromboli is packed with tender ham, gooey cheese, tomato and peppers and tastes delicious!
It's really easy to make, with ready made pizza dough, and with ingredients that are normally in the fridge, so it's just a question of a quick assembly before letting the oven work its magic.
Perfect for kids and easy to customise with different flavours, this dish will become a family favourite.
Bon appètit!
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What is a stromboli?
A stromboli originated in the US from Italian Americans and typically uses pizza dough. The easiest way to explain is to think of it as a large rectangular pizza base, covered in layers of toppings and then rolled up and baked. You get all the delicious pizza flavours in a different form.
What are the ingredients?
For much of the time I prefer to make dough from scratch but sometimes there just isn't time so I've used a ready made and rolled piece of rectangular pizza dough. Of course, you could make your own dough from scratch or use a packet mix if you prefer.
For the rest of the ingredients I've picked items that are normally always in my fridge for a stress free dinner!
You will also need:
- a bell pepper, chooped into small pieces - I normally buy a red, green and yellow pepper for colour so I used a combination
- cheddar cheese or any cheese that you have that melts well
- sliced ham
- tomato purée
- an egg for glazing
- dried oregano
- oil for frying
How to make this dish
Put an oven tray in a 200C/400F oven for 10 minutes while you prepare the ingredients. This helps the cheese stromboli to start cooking the base straightaway and avoids the chances of getting a soggy base.
Start by laying out the dough. Mine comes rolled in parchment so I leave it on this for ease.
Spread the tomato purée in an even layer up to 2 cm from each edge.
I had ready sliced cheddar, but you could grate the cheese on if you prefer.
Gently fry chopped peppers in the oil for a few minutes until softened then scatter over the cheese.
Season with salt and pepper and some dried oregano.
Add enough sliced ham to cover the then fold over the edges, pressing down the corners.
Use the paper to help roll it up tightly from the longest side first. Use some of the beaten egg to seal.
Remove the tin from the oven and place the dough roll seam side down.
Add a few slits to the top before brushing with beaten egg.
Bake for about 30 minutes until golden and crisp.
Cut into slices and serve with a salad. Delicicious and the kids will love this twist on pizza!
Recipe FAQs
It's really easy to just remove the ham and add more vegetables instead.
Substitute the cheddar for vegan cheese to make a vegan version
This dish is often made with mozzarella so cut balls into slices or use a mixture of cheeses.
Swap the ham for salami or proscuitto or your favourite cured meat. You could use leftover chicken too.
Instead of peppers try sliced mushrooms, sun dried tomatoes or jarred artichokes or peppers.
A calzone is simply a folded pizza which is sealed at the edges, compared to a stromboli which is fully rolled up.
Top tips
- use a pizza stone if you have on for even crisper results
- if you opt for more fresh vegtables it's best to cook them a little first and drain off any liquid as raw vegetables tend to leech water into the filling resulting in soggy dough
When you are looking for a change from pizza why not make this instead?
Just think of all that cheese oozing out!
Let me know what you think in the comments or you can post a picture and tag me on Twitter @chezlereve, Instagram @chezlerevefrancais, or Facebook @chezlerevefrancais.
More savoury pastry recipes
📋 Recipe
Ham and Cheese Stromboli
Ingredients
- 500 g pizza dough preferably ready rolled in a rectangle
- 1 pepper chopped
- 200 g cheese 71/2 slices
- 130 g sliced ham 3 slices
- 100 g tomato puree
- 1 egg
- seasoning
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200C/400F and place a metal oven tray in to heat.
- Roll out the dough and spread the tomato puree onto it leaving a 2 cm gap all round.
- Add a layer of cheese.
- Soften the peppers in a pan sprayed with oil then spread over the cheese before seasoning and sprinkling the oregano on top.
- Add a layer of ham and then fold all of the edges in.
- Starting at the longest edge tightly roll up, seal with egg and place on the oven tray.
- Make a few slits in the top and brush with beaten egg before baking for 30 minutes until golden.
Notes
Top tips
- use a pizza stone if you have on for even crisper results
- if you opt for more fresh vegtables it's best to cook them a little first and drain off any liquid as raw vegetables tend to leech water into the filling resulting in soggy dough
Amanda
Thanks. It's really filling so maybe you could have a small piece! We have eaten a whole one between 3!
fatdormouse
Oh my! That's not going to help me lose weight, now, is it?! I must try that - Mr FD would love it (and so, let's be honest, would I?!)
Amanda
Thanks so much Michelle. It's always good to have something you can throw together with ingredients that are normally in the fridge as, with the best will in the world, some days are just too busy!
Michelle Frank | Flipped-Out Food
I had no idea how "stromboli" and "simple" could occupy the same sentence. You've actually gone and made it easy—amazing! The use of store-bought pizza dough is a stroke of genius. I also love the idea of using up leftover chicken in stromboli. My hubster—pizza and stromboli freak that he is—will absolutely love this!
Amanda
Thanks Elizabeth! I am quite new to Strombolis but my mind is going mad with combinations. The family want spicy chicken next!
Elizabeth
My family are Stromboli lovers so this is a welcome addition to our roundup of Stromboli recipes!
Amanda
Thank you so much! It didn't last long and we are all hooked on Stromboli now!
chebandbecky
That looks delicious!
Amanda
Thanks Susan. I've made the vegetarian version too and everyone loves these as they are so filling. Let me know how you get on in this heat!
Amanda
Thanks Mimi. I think puff would work well too or even Brioche dough. What I have found though, is that you don't want the fillings too wet, like tomato or you get a soggy bottom!
chef mimi
Very nice! Calzones are similar to this, but in individual packets. I never thought about how easy they could be. Puff pastry would work too, wouldn't it?
Our French Oasis
OMG this looks amazing and so easy. We have a house full and a gîte full of friends at the moment, our mealtimes seem to swell to 12+ every day. I am making this for lunch tomorrow with some salad from the garden. Looks divine, as always a big thank you xx