This post is sponsored by Doves Farm Organic Flour

Stromboli, an Italian American creation named after an Italian volcano, is maybe the perfect picnic recipe. A simple bread dough rolled up with all manner of fillings, it's a cross between a calzone and a sandwich. This is another collaboration with Doves Farm Organic Flour, so for the dough I use their excellent Organic Strong White Bread Flour. Find it in your supermarket in its new bright green packaging, very cheerful and summery. The dough itself is an incredibly simple affair made easily by hand or with a stand mixer. It is also a great basic bread dough that you could use for homemade pizza or even a simple loaf. It’s a great starting point if you’ve never made bread before.

The fun thing about this recipe is that it’s endlessly adaptable. Whilst I love the suggested filling, you can really play around with this recipe and make it your own. For my suggested filling I’ve kept it simple to keep it nice and easy to make. Quite often the rolled up bread is filled with a simple tomato sauce and this is of course delicious but, because this is on the wetter side, it can be trickier to assemble if you’ve never done it before. So, I’ve given an alternative that gives a similar tomato flavour but without adding a large amount of liquid - a paste made from tomato puree and olive oil with a few different seasonings.

When making any bread dough, choosing the flour you use brings with it one main question, and that is about the protein content. Using what us Brits refer to as a ‘strong’ flour means you are using a flour with a high protein content, for example Doves Farm Organic Strong White Bread Flour has a protein content of 13g per 100gProtein is important because the higher the protein the stronger the gluten development can be, making bread with chew and bread that rises better. So yes, you could make this recipe with plain flour but it will have a very different finished texture.

Doves Farm Organic Strong White Bread Flour is available from Sainsburys, Ocado and dovesfarm.co.uk

Stromboli
Serves 10

Simple White Bread Doug
500g Doves Farm Organic Strong White Bread Flour
7g fast action dried yeast
1 tsp fine sea salt
325ml lukewarm water

Filling
4 tbsp tomato puree
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Pinch of salt and sugar
2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 dried chilli flakes
1/2 tsp garlic powder
16 slices salami
6 slices prosciutto
200g grated mozarella
125g grated cheddar/provolone/gouda (or other mild firm cheese that melts well)
1 jarred roasted red pepper, diced
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 tbsp sesame seeds
Parmesan for grating

To make the bread dough place the Doves Farm Organic Strong White Bread Flour into a large bowl along with the yeast and salt, mixing together to distribute evenly. Add the water and use your hands or a stand mixer, fitted with a dough hook, to mix to form a shaggy dough. If making by hand tip the mixture out onto the worksurface and knead for about 10-15 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic. If making with a stand mixer knead on low speed for about 7-10 minutes or until smooth and elastic, pulling away from the sides of the bowl. Place the dough into a lightly greased bowl, cover with a towel and set aside for about an hour or until doubled in size. 

Whilst proving make the tomato paste. In a small bowl mix together the tomato puree, oil, salt, sugar, oregano, chilli flakes and garlic powder. Set aside for the moment. When the dough is almost done proving preheat the oven to 200ºC (180ºC Fan).

Once the dough has doubled tip it out onto a lightly floured worksurface and roll out into a square roughly 50cm x 50cm. Use a pastry brush to paint the tomato puree all over the dough, leaving a 2.5cm wide border, then layer on the toppings. You can do this in any manner you prefer but I start with the mozzarella followed by the salami then the second cheese and then the proscuitto, finishing with the diced pepper. Fold two of the dough borders (on opposite sides from each other) up and over the toppings creating a barrier on two sides that will help keep the fillings inside the bread. Roll up the bread dough, like you are making a batch of cinnamon rolls, with the folded over edges being on the outside edges of the roll. Once rolled up pinch all of the seams closed and place onto a large parchment lined baking tray, with the seam on the bottom. Brush the Stromboli with the beaten egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds and a little freshly grated parmesan. Use a sharp knife to cut a few vents in the top of the Stromboli and then bake, thats right no second rise for this recipe, in the preheated oven for about 45-50 minutes or until browned. Remove and allow to cool fully before serving.