Spinach, Ricotta and Mozzarella Stromboli with Garlic Crust
Inspired by techniques from NYT Cooking and America's Test Kitchen.
A golden, glazed pizza-dough roll filled with garlicky spinach, creamy ricotta, mozzarella and Parmesan, sliced into thick spirals and served with warm passata for dipping.
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Method
- 1
Knead and prove. Mix the flour, yeast and salt, add the water and oil and knead for 10 minutes until smooth, or 6 minutes in a mixer. Cover and leave for 1 hour 30 minutes, until doubled in size. Good kneading builds the gluten that lets the dough stretch thinly around the filling without tearing.
- 2
Wilt the spinach. Heat the oil in the frying pan over medium heat, add two-thirds of the garlic for 30 seconds, then the spinach in handfuls, turning for about 3 minutes until wilted. Tip it into the colander and cool for 10 minutes, then squeeze very dry in the tea towel and chop. Excess water would steam the dough from inside and leave a soggy roll, so squeeze hard.
- 3
Mix the filling. Combine the spinach with the ricotta, mozzarella, 20g of the Parmesan, the pepper, nutmeg and remaining garlic. Nutmeg brings out the creamy sweetness of the ricotta and spinach. Heat the oven to 200°C (fan 180°C) at least 20 minutes before baking.
- 4
Roll and fill. Roll the dough on a floured surface into a 30 x 40cm rectangle, with a long side towards you. Spread the filling evenly, leaving a 2cm border on the short sides and 4cm along the far long side, and brush that far border with egg. The egg acts as glue for sealing the seam.
- 5
Roll up and seal. Fold the short sides in by 2cm, then roll up tightly from the near long side, finishing seam-side down. Pinch the seam and ends firmly to seal and lift the roll onto the lined tray. A tight seal stops the filling bursting out as it bakes.
- 6
Glaze and slash. Brush the roll all over with egg, sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan and the oregano, and cut 5 shallow diagonal slashes along the top. The slashes let steam escape so the crust does not split, while the egg gives a glossy, golden finish.
- 7
Bake to 74°C. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until deep golden and the centre of the filling reaches at least 74°C on the probe; the bread itself is done at about 93°C. Cool on the tray for 10 minutes so the filling sets, then slice into 12 thick pieces with the serrated knife. Serve with the warm passata for dipping.
Storage
Cool leftovers within 2 hours and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat slices in a hot oven or a dry frying pan until piping hot (74°C).
Equipment
- large mixing bowl
- large frying pan
- colander and clean tea towel
- rolling pin
- pastry brush
- large baking tray lined with baking paper
- serrated knife
- instant-read probe thermometer
Nutrition per serving (estimated values)
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 489 kcal |
| Protein | 22.5 g |
| Carbohydrate | 57.8 g |
| of which sugars | 2.9 g |
| of which free sugars | 0 g |
| Fat | 18.8 g |
| of which saturates | 8.7 g |
| Fibre | 3.9 g |
| Salt | 1.99 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
4.6 g High Protein needs ≥ 10 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
