Sausage Stromboli

This turned out gorgeous and so tasty!  I want to play with the concept and stuff it with other pizza favorites too! Recipe from Taste of Home 2003, my notes follow.

Sausage Stromboli
1 pkg. active dry yeast
1 tsp. sugar
1 c. warm water
1/4 c. olive or vegetable oil
1/4 tsp. salt, divided
2 1/2 - 3 c. flour
3/4 lb. bulk pork sausage
1 med. onion, chopped
1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce
1/2 c. chopped green pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
1 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
Dash of pepper
1 c. sour cream
3 Tbsp. whipped chive and onion cream cheese
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
1 egg white, slightly beaten
Fennel Seed

In a mixing bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in water; let stand 5 min. Add the oil, 1/8 tsp. salt and 2 c. flour; beat until smooth.  Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.  Turn onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 min.  Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top.  Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.

Meanwhile in a skillet, cook sausage and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.  Add the tomato sauce, green pepper, garlic, Italian seasoning remaining salt and pepper.  Set aside.  Punch dough down.  On a large baking sheet, roll dough in an 18x12 inch oval.  Spread sausage mixture lengthwise down the center. 

Combine sour cream and cream cheese, spread over sausage mixture.  Sprinkle with shredded cheeses.  Fold one long side of dough over filling.  Fold other long side of dough over the top.  Pinch seam and ends to seal. With a sharp knife, cut slits in top of dough.  Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 min. Brush top with egg white; sprinkle with fennel seed.  Bake at 400 degrees for 25-30 min. or until lightly browned.  Let stand 10 min. before slicing.  Yield: 12 servings.

Notes: I used rapid rise yeast, combining the dry ingredients then adding hot water, this cut down on the rising time considerably.  Read more about this technique here.  I used a pound of sausage and softened plain cream cheese to which I added some dried minced onion. I only used the mozzarella cheese and I only folded the sandwich in half, pinching the edges. I substituted some Italian seasoning for the fennel seed.

Jenny