When I was little, I was a horribly picky eater. Not picky like snobby, picky like I would not eat anything. You could probably count the foods I would eat on one hand. Fortunately, I realised I was being MENTAL a good few years ago now, but for years and years my diet consisted mostly of processed chicken burgers, ham and cheese sandwiches and the vegetables my mum would try to make me eat.
While just the idea of those chicken burgers is enough to make me feel sick now, l will always, always love ham and cheese sandwiches. Seriously, how good are they? Way good. But you know what’s even better? When you make a poshed up version by making your own bread dough and rolling mozzarella and parma ham up in it, swiss roll style. Did you just squeal? Me too.
There are two very good reason for making this. Firstly, you get to feel all smug about making your own bread. Secondly, you then get to stuff it in your face. Straight from the oven this is incredible; soft bread, gooey cheese and crispy parma ham. I could, and would, eat a whole loaf myself. But you can share it, if you want to. You lightweight.
Mozzarella and parma ham stromboli
Adapted from Italian Home Baking by Gino D’Acampo
Makes one long loaf (serves 6)
Ingredients:
525g/18.5 oz strong white bread flour
1.5 tsp salt
7.5g/0.25 oz (1 sachet) fast-action yeast
300ml/10.1 fl oz lukewarm water
3/4 tsp caster sugar
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
For the filling:
1 tbsp rosemary leaves
250g/8.8 oz mozzarella ball, cut into small cubes
3-4 slices Parma ham, torn into small pieces
3 tbsp chopped basil leaves
a few grinds of black pepper
In a large bowl, mix the flour, salt, sugar and yeast and make a well in the centre. Pour the water into the well and mix together with a fork and then your hands until you have a sticky, soft dough.
Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes. The dough should be smooth and elastic. Shape it into a ball, then place it in a large, clean bowl brushed with olive oil. Cover the bowl with clingfilm and put it somewhere warm for about an hour, until the dough has doubled in size.
Transfer the dough to a floured surface and roll out into a rectangle measuring approximately 30cm by 37.5cm. Cover with clingfilm and leave to rest for 5 minutes.
Mix the filling ingredients together in a bowl, then scatter over the dough, leaving a 1cm border.
Roll the dough up like a swiss roll, starting from one of the long edges so that the loaf is 37.5cm long. Seal the rolled over edge (but not the two ends). Oil a large baking tray and transfer the loaf onto to it, seam down. Cover with clingfilm and leave to rest in a warm place for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 200C.
Brush the loaf with some olive oil and use a skewer to make small holes all over the loaf.
Bake in the middle of the oven for 35 minutes, until golden. Transfer to a wire rack to cool down a bit, then serve warm.
I was – and still am to some extent – a very picky eater when I was a child. I am a lot better than I used to be but I still don’t think I’d ever turn down a ham and cheese sandwich! This looks perfectly delightful especially with the combination of the melty cheese and salty ham. Yum!
I would definitely eat that whole thing myself sausage roll style – straight in my mouth!!
This looks fantastic…. you can’t go wrong with all the goodness rolled into bread YUM.
Thanks! 🙂
Mmmm, that looks so, so delicious. I love parma ham, we have it in Germany all the time (with white asparagus! Yum!), and the oozing mozzarella makes me salivate!
Parma ham is completely ace. I usually eat half the pack before I’ve managed to put it in whatever I’m making!
Nice and toasty warm dunked in a little marinara and you’ve got a little piece of heaven right there!
That is a brilliant idea! Definitely doing that next time.
oh lordy! This stromboli has got my tummy GROWLING!
Oh this is totally right up my alley- bread and cheese = my heaven!
This looks fantastic. Thanks for sharing. I too was a very fussy eater until not that many years ago.