stuffed stromboli bread

This is a Rachael Ray meal, altered a tad. She called for broccoli rabe. I couldn’t find it, so I used a mixture of kale and spinach. Kristen and I made this together, so we doubled the recipe and made a veggie loaf and two veggie/turkey sausage loaves: they were scrumptious. My recommendations for the veggie loaf: don’t use the big parts of the kale stem, and mix in the shredded cheese with the veggies.

servings: 4-6 people      prep time: 15 min.  cook time: 20 ish

• 1 large loaf of semolina bread (about a foot long)
• 1 bundle of kale, washed and cut into 3-4″ pieces (don’t use the big parts of the stem)
• 1 bunch of spinach, washed and cut (unless you’re not using baby spinach)
• 1 pound of sweet or hot sausage (we used turkey), de-skinned
• 3-4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, shredded
• 2 cups Provolone cheese, shredded
• 8 thin slices of fresh Mozzarella cheese
• 3 Tbsp of extra-virgin olive oil
• your favorite red sauce for dipping
• salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cutting lengthwise, remove the top of the loaf of bread and scoop out the insides. Keep the “lid.”

Bring about 2″ of salted water to a boil in a deep skillet over high heat. Add the kale in stages until it wilts down. Simmer 5 minutes. Then add the spinach, since it takes less time to wilt.

USING MEAT: Drain the greens, then shock in cold water, and set aside. Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium to medium-high heat. Add sausage, and break it up into small pieces as it browns. Add the garlic, and cook 2 minutes. Add the greens and heat through. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Fill the hollowed loaf with the meat/green mixture. Top with the shredded cheeses, then top off with the mozzarella. Replace the “lid.” Wrap the loaf in foil, and bake it for about 12-15 minutes. Cut into thick pieces and serve with red dipping sauce.

NO MEAT: Drain the greens. In a separate bowl, mix together greens, garlic, and both shredded cheeses. Fill the empty loaf with the mixture, and top with the mozzarella. Put on the “lid.” Wrap in foil and bake for about 12-15 minutes. Cut into thick pieces and serve with red dipping sauce.