Food-venture: Stromboli

So starts the week of making meals from whatever I have in the pantry and fridge to make my meals. I must admit I cheated I bit, and that I bought these ingredients during a prior week and didn't have the opportunity to make it. 

I was disappointed when I looked up information about stromboli that its origin is actually the United States, despite its Italian name and ingredients. Although, it was from Wikipedia so any other information would be welcomed. When I was in Italy last summer I actually learned that fettuccine alfredo is actually of United States origin as well (#mindblown). 

But anywho, this was a super easy dish with infinite variations. I decided to start with classic pepperoni and mozzarella cheese filling to start, then will try more later.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. I started with pre-made pizza crust from a tube.

It's a pretty big deal that I opened this all by myself since I'm quite easily startled. Unfortunately, the tube didn't open by simply exposing the dotted line. I had to use the spoon against the crevice method. But it worked! 

Flatten out the crust. Tastes great, I just wish that I had thinned out the crust a bit more before using. But this did fit perfectly on my cutting board. 

First layer were pepperoni slices...

...then shredded mozzarella. These were pre-shredded which I know is a big no-no but it made making this that much faster! Next time I'll use more cheese.

Fold the bottom third up...

...then the top third downward. Seal the sides and the top. 

I melted 1 tablespoon of butter and brushed it over the top, then sprinkled Italian seasoning on top. 

Place on a baking sheet (my Silpat has been seeing a lot of action!) for 15-20 minutes until healthy brown. 

All done! 

Slice up and dip in marinara sauce. Yum!

It doesn't really get easier than this, and it will last for a few lunches. It's a cleaner version of pizza that takes up less surface area for transport. I'm a fan. 

Future variations: 

• Spinach, feta, and mozzarella
• Salami, pepperoni, cheese, capers
• Ham, pineapple, mozzarella
• Buffalo chicken, blue cheese