#267 Italian Style Stuffed Braided Stromboli

"Stromboli" is a small island in Italy---doesn't the name of this island also remind you of a stuffed bread loaded with dangerously delicious meat fillings resembling pizza toppings? But of course, so are Calzones. The big difference between the two is that Strombolis are rolled like a swiss roll and Calzones are made like turnovers. The Italian influence is very prominent on the east coast of the US, and a pizza may not always satisfy your Italian cravings. The mixture of sausage with peppers and onions can never be denied in my home either! The daughters and husband love to make sandwiches or even mix it into pasta and enjoy it just as much as carry-out pizza. However, I turned this staple into a Stromboli braided bread with a light dipping sauce. The family gave it a 5 star rating since it sort of met everyone's taste.  Be it a large meal or a snacking requisite, this Stromboli is bound to satisfy all appetities presumably well and the best part is that it can be made real quick if you have pre-made bread dough readily available.

Ingredients:
Smoked Polish Turkey Sausage- 1 package
Red Peppers sliced-2
Green Peppers sliced-2
Spanish onion sliced-1
Garlic- 5-6 cloves
Dry thyme- 1 tspn
Olive oil
Salt and pepper for seasoning
Velveeta Cheese slices-4
pre-made frozen Bread dough/or crescent rolls
egg wash (beat 1 egg with 1 tspn water)

Directions:
1. Place a skillet over medium fire. Add olive oil.
2. When heated through, add sliced garlic cloves, but do not let them turn brown.
3. Add thyme, sliced onions and saute adding salt as needed.
4. The salt caramelizes the onions drawing out the moisture and sugar.
5. Now add the peppers. When the peppers are just about done, remove and sprinkle with pepper.
6. Remove the mixture from the skillet onto a plate to cool.
7. Slice the sausage into thin cross-sections and add to the skillet
placing it over a medium flame and browning on all sides. You will not need oil since it draws out fat.
8. Remove from fire and allow to cool mixing it with the cooled pepper-onion.
9. Remove the Bread dough from the package/can and roll into a rectangle using a wooden board
and just enough flour to prevent it from sticking.
10. Cut into four strips. One of the strips should be broader than the other three.
11. Heat the oven to 375 degrees, take the broad strip and place the sausage mixture
at the center of the strip all along it so that there is dough on both sides.Place slices of cheese over this as desired.
12. Now, fold the three smaller strips together and pinch them at the top, over the broader strip with the meat.
13. Slowly braid the three strips of dough over the meat mixture pinching the sides in to seal the meat in
the center of the braid encasing it inside the dough.
14. Brush the top of the braid with the egg wash and bake in the pre-heated oven for 30 mins or until the top is just browned.
15. Serve with Marinara sauce or just plain....enjoy!