“Cheese Steak” Stromboli

While visiting one of my bread delivery customers, an awesome Italian restaurant, I was tempted by the display of pizza and boli’s in the display case.  I knew it did not have time to order a pizza, and I didn’t have all the ingredients at home to make one, but I knew I had some Gardein Beefless Tips that I could turn into a Stromboli. 

Growing up, on the weekends, my mother always made a cheesesteak Stromboli for us to share.  I don’t know how she did it, but she was always able to take 1 pack of chip steak, a little cheese, fried peppers and onions, wrap it in Pillsbury’s French bread dough, bake it and make a boli or two that could feed any of the outrageous number of people that would visit on the weekends.  Our home was always filled with visitors, and food.  Mya would have loved it.  There was always a cousin to play with and an assortment of “aunts” and “uncles” who may not have always been blood related, but were in you life on a daily basis enough that everyone is a family.  I learned that lesson early in life.  My Godfather, “Uncle Mikey” is a pilot and would come to town every weekend and spend time with us after traveling the world.  I have an attic full of dolls from around the globe.  He would always bring us chocolate from Germany and other goodies from places he would visit.  A Japanese Coke and Pepsi can were permanent fixtures in our curio cabinet, because they looked so different from what we had here.  Everyone would ask to see them, and my friends thought it was so cool.  Anyway, no matter how many visitors we had, they were fed. If the boli’s were not enough, it was a Sicilian pizza from Via Veneto’s and always a seemingly never ending salad bowl. I always said, “our house was like the proverb of Loaves and Fishes, no matter who came, and how many people they brought, we shared, and there was always enough.” This Stromboli is an ode to mom for all the fun and memories she gave us.  Thanks mom.

Now, being vegan, the recipe is a little different, but still just as good, I promise. Did I mention it costs 1/2 as much as ordering it out, and added benefit to making it yourself.

1 Large Italian “Cheese Steak” Stromboli

• 1 Ball of dough (leave out of refrigerator to bring to room temp. 30 minutes before starting recipe)
• 1 pack Gardein Beefless Tips
• 1 Medium Onion, sliced thin
• 2 cup of peppers, sliced
• 8 oz mushrooms, sliced (or two portabellas)
• 1/2 block of vegan mozzarella, shredded (or several slices of vegan cheese)
• Ketchup
• 1 tsp. olive oil
• Dried Italian Seasoning

Pre heat oven to 400.  In a skillet, sauté peppers, mushrooms and onion until soft.  Defrost Gardein beefless tip in microwave on a plate for 1.5 minutes.  Slice the Gardein into small pieces.  Push the veggies over in the pan, add 1 tsp. olive oil, cook Gardein in olive oil and let it fry until it browns, then mix with veggies.

Remove steak and vegetables from heat and let them cool before filling the dough.

Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.  Stretch dough out into a large rectangle on the baking sheet. Be careful not to rip the dough.  Bringing it to room temperature helps it stretch.  Once it is stretched and the filling is cool, sprinkle 1/2 the cheese over the whole area of dough.  Then gently squeeze ketchup over the cheese. Not too much!

Next, spread the steak and vegetable filling over the entire surface.

Sprinkle the remain 1/2 of cheese over the steak filling.

Roll like a jelly roll. Once over.

Then over again.

Then, stretch what is left on the other side, over the top.  Pierce 3 slots on top.  Spray with cooking spray.  Garnish with a sprinkle of Italian seasoning on top.

Bake at 400 for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.

Let cool 5 minutes before slicing into Italian heaven!

Enjoy your Friday!