Stromboli: Take Two
January 31st, 2009It would be completely understandable were you to assume that loaves stuffed with a variety salume and cheeses—the much-loved Stromboli—would be the plural form of an old Italian favorite. But if you’d looked at a map, you might have realized that Stromboli is singular, the name of tiny island north of Sicily and west of the toe of the Italian peninsula. Best known for its rather active volcano, the isle lies in the Tyrrhenian Sea. But unless you’re a fan of 1940′s black & white films, you would probably not associate it with a wildly popular Swedish movie star and a Philadelphia suburb accessible from Exit 9B, just off Interstate 95.
We love connecting the dots, so here’s the rest of the story:
Copyright © 2009, Skip Lombardi
In 1948 neo-realist director Roberto Rossellini cast Ingrid Bergman in his stark drama, Stromboli, about survivors of World War II trying to make a life on the isolated island. (Obligingly, the volcano erupted during the shoot. ) Although the film, released in the U.S. in 1950, received only mixed reviews, it caught the attention of people who might never have had any interest in Italian cinéma verité. The Hollywood tabloids and newsreels made sure that movie fans around the world learned that everyone’s favorite nun was having a love affair with her director. (In 1945, Ms. Bergman had starred opposite Bing Crosby in The Bells of St Mary’s).
The real volcano on Stromboli, as well as a mediocre film, were eclipsed by the pyrotechnics of what was then the scandalous Bergman-Rossellini affair. (Remember, those were witch-hunting years in Hollywood, and the lovers found that their phones rang less and less as American producers backed away from anyone whose private life might attract the attention of the House Un-American Activities Committee.)
Copyright © 2009, Skip Lombardi
Meanwhile, in a small town south of Philadelphia, another drama—one with far greater consequences for Italian-American gastronomic history—was about to unfold. Or perhaps we should say enfold. Sometime in 1950 (according to many self-corroborating sources), Nazzereno Romano, owner of Romano’s Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria in Essington, Pennsylvania, rolled up some cheese and cold-cuts in his pizza dough. He baked the loaf and then sliced it to expose the attractive, flavor-packed spiral within. ‘Nat’ Romano is reported to have asked his customers what he should call his creation. We can imagine that a copy of The National Enquirer might have been at hand because the sources claim that someone blurted out “Stromboli!” and the name stuck like mozzarella on a hot pan.
Salame Stromboli
Ingredients:
1 Lb. Pizza dough *
Flour for dusting the dough
1/4 Lb. Genoa salami, thinly sliced (9 slices)
1/4 Lb. Provolone, thinly sliced
1/4 Lb. Pepperoni, thinly sliced (9 slices) **
1/4 Lb. Whole milk mozzarella, shredded
Olive oil
*I simply buy pizza dough at my local “house of pizza,” or in the bakery department of my local supermarket. It comes in packages that range from 15 – 20 oz. Nevertheless, when I say, “1 Lb. pizza dough,” one package will suffice within that range, for two stromboli. (Of course, you can make your own.)
** I prefer to use larger slices of pepperoni (@ 4 inches in diameter) that I buy at my local Italian deli and have sliced to the same thickness as the Genoa salami. The narrower pepperoni that comes as a stick can be used, too, but it’s more difficult to slice thinly and roll into a loaf.
Preparation:
Let the pizza dough rest and come to room temperature for 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 375 F.
Cover a sheet pan with aluminum foil or parchment and set aside.
Divide the dough into two portions. On a lightly floured surface, roll and stretch each portion into a rectangle approximately 10 by 14 inches.
With one of the 10-inch sides facing you, place the slices of Genoa across the dough, starting at the end nearest to you, leaving approximately 1 inch at each side exposed (for sealing the dough when it’s rolled). You should cover about 2/3 of the rectangle of dough with the 9 slices by slightly overlapping them. Leave 1/3 of the dough (farthest away from you) unlayered.
Next, place the slices of provolone over the Genoa, finishing with the slices of pepperoni atop the provolone.
Again, starting at the end nearest to you and working away from yourself toward the middle, sprinkle the shredded mozzarella onto the Genoa/provolone/pepperoni, extending the mozzarella to cover approximately 3/4 of the rectangle.
With both hands, carefully roll the dough, jelly-roll style, starting with the end closest to you. Place the stromboli, seam-side down, on the sheet pan. Gently pinch and tuck in the ends of the roll to seal in the stuffing. Cut three shallow slits in the top of each of the stromboli as steam-vents. Lightly brush the top of the roll with olive oil.
Repeat with the second portion of dough. You can bake both rolls in the same pan if you leave at least 4 inches between them.
Bake the stromboli for approximately 30 minutes, or until they are golden brown. Allow to cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing.
Each roll will serve four as part of a Super Bowl spread.
Spinach & Cheese Stromboli
Ingredients:
1 Lb. Pizza dough
2 Tbs. Olive oil
4 Cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 Lb. Frozen spinach, thawed and drained
Salt & freshly ground black pepper
1 Cup Whole milk mozzarella, shredded
1/4 Cup freshly grated Parmesan
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
4 Tbs. Flat-leaf Italian parsley, finely chopped
Preparation:
Let the pizza dough rest and come to room temperature for 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 375 F.
Cover a sheet pan with aluminum foil or parchment and set aside.
Heat a large, non-reactive pot, over medium heat, then add the oil. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute, then add the spinach. Season with salt and pepper, and toss with kitchen tongs, to coat the spinach with the oil. Continue tossing and stirring until the spinach has wilted. Remove from the heat and allow the spinach to cool to room temperature. When the spinach has cooled, pour into a bowl, then mix in the cheeses, nutmeg, and parsley.
Divide the dough into two portions. On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion into a rectangle of approximately 10 by 14 inches.
With one of the 10-inch sides facing you, place half the spinach/cheese mixture at the end nearest to you, leaving approximately 1/2 inch at the sides exposed (for sealing the dough). Spread the mixture out so that it covers approximately 2/3 of the stromboli. Roll the dough, jelly-roll style, starting with the end closest to you. Repeat with the second portion of dough.
With both hands, carefully roll the dough, jelly-roll style, starting with the end closest to you. Place the stromboli, seam-side down, on the sheet pan. Gently pinch and tuck in the ends of the roll to seal in the stuffing. Cut three shallow slits in the top of each of the stromboli as steam-vents. Lightly brush the top of the roll with olive oil.
Each stromboli can be used to placate four vegetarians, if indeed, you have invited any to your Super Bowl gathering.
And for those who would like to stick to the Almost Italian theme, we’re providing links to other game-day favorites from our earlier posts. If my grandfather and great-uncles had known they could enjoy these treats AND get to watch TV, they might have left Sicily a generation earlier!
And finally, we invite Almost Italian Super Bowl fans seeking something more substantial than snacks to browse our Table of Contents.
February 8th, 2009 at 7:45 pm
what an excellent post. thank you, thank you, thank you from this philly native. i grew up on stromboli – it was what we’d order for sleepovers and friday nights instead of pizza. it wasn’t until i left home that i realized what a regional treat a good stromboli is.