On Friday nights when my kids were young, we would sometimes go to Romano’s Stromboli in Essington, PA. They say they invented it, (and most websites corroborate that).
The name “stromboli” comes from the 1950 movie On the Island of Stromboli, starring Ingrid Bergman and Roberto Rossellini. Romano’s uncle suggested the name after the worldwide scandal surrounding the actors’ love affair.
Nazzereno Romano opened the small pizzeria in 1944 in Essington, Pennsylvania, and began selling a rolled-up pizza dough filled with ham, cheese, and peppers.
Although I can’t speak to the veracity of those statements, the strombolis were very good.
I decided to make one recently, but had none of the expected ingredients we used to get (pepperoni, mozzarella, etc.) so, as Tim the Tool Man Taylor used to say, “I rewired it.”
I ask forgiveness from my Italian friends, but this is delicious.
INGREDIENTS
1 lb ground beef or turkey
¼ cup, diced onions, frozen or fresh
taco seasoning*
1 small can tomato paste
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 roll, store-bought pizza dough**
1 cup, shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup frozen corn, thawed
1/3 cup refried beans
2 tablespoons butter
salt & pepper
METHOD
* For the taco seasoning, I use a little chili powder, some oregano and Trader Joe’s Chili Lime seasoning, but use what you normally do for tacos.
** Learn from my mistake. If you buy a package of pizza dough from the supermarket, use half. My first stromboli was so thick I could barely find the filling.
Preheat oven to 350.
Heat a large skillet to medium, add ground beef and onions. Cook until meat is no longer pink.
Add taco seasoning and the tomato paste. Fill the paste can with water and add that.
Heat to boiling, then simmer for 4 minutes.
Remove ground beef from heat while you prep the dough.
Roll out dough on prepared baking sheet (parchment paper works best).
Smear the refried beans on one side of the dough, leaving a ½” of space from the edge.
Add the corn on top of the beans, then half of cheese.
Taste the beef mixture and add salt and pepper if needed.
Add ground beef and top off with the rest of cheese.
Fold the dough over to cover the ground beef mixture, and roll up the edges to seal.
Make a few shallow slits in the top.
Melt the butter and brush the top of the dough.
Sprinkle a little taco seasoning on top.
Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown on top. with a spatula, tilt the stromboli and make sure the bottom dough is cooked. If not, turn it over and bake for another 5-7 minutes.
Let it rest for ten minutes or so.
With a serrated knife, cut 2 or 3 inch slices and serve with sour cream and salsa verde, or any of your favorite taco accouterments.
Nazzereno would likely be turning over in his grave, but hey, we were good customers.
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