Fillings:

Cheese: (optional)
Any type – parmesan, provolone, mozzarella, and hard cheeses are all good
Vegetables: sauteed spinach, garlic, bell peppers, and/or mushrooms; artichoke hearts, olives, and/or capers. Pick any 2-3 veggies.
Meat: (optional)
I’ve tried all of these and they were good: pepperoni, prosciutto, and Italian-style vegetarian sausage.
Anything thinly sliced or ground will work well.
Sauce:
Pesto and/or red sauce as a filling, as a dip, or both). Red Gravy with Love is the best dipping sauce ever but a bit too chunky as a filling.

Dough:

(The perfect version is still in progress.)
1 cup water
1 package yeast
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp olive oil, plus enough to coat a bowl

Instructions:

1. Heat 1 cup of water to 110 degrees (1 minute on high in the microwave usually does it.)
2. Pour yeast into the heated water and let it sit a few minutes.
3. Mix the rest of the ingredients and knead the dough until smooth.
4. Coat a small bowl with olive oil, place the dough in it, and let it rise for an hour away from drafts.
5. Once the dough has risen, roll it out on a baking sheet and cover sparsely with toppings and sauce. (If you load it up too much it will be difficult to roll up!) Leave an inch on one of the long sides clear of toppings.
6. Roll up the dough from the side opposite from your topping-free inch. Press the filling-free inch into a tight seam on the roll and place it face down on the baking sheet.
7. Brush the roll with olive oil (or butter) and press shredded parmesan on the top (optional).
8. Make a couple small cuts across the top of the roll.
9. Bake at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes, until slightly browned.
10. Cut into slices and serve with dipping sauce (optional).

Posted by: danar