Recipe: Peppino's Pizza Rolls

PEPPINO'S PIZZA ROLLS
From: Peppinos Ristorante Italiano, Oviedo Florida

"Pizza rolls are similar to Philadelphia strombolis and akin to Italian calzones and Russian khachapuri. All involve cheese - usually mozzarella - and other fillings encased in dough. At the table, the pizza rolls are served with the restaurant's signature tomato sauce."

FOR 1 SERVING:
7 1/2 ounces pizza dough*
1 cup or to taste mixture of shredded mozzarella and other cheeses of choice
Toppings of choice (pepperoni or mushroom slices for example)
Tomato sauce of choice (for serving)

Heat oven to 450 degrees F.

Hand toss or form pizza dough into a 10-inch round.

Place cheeses down center of circle. Add toppings of choice.

Fold the dough up two-thirds of its length and then fold down the top third to encase the fillings. Press ends and trim to seal. Pinch a small hole in the top to allow steam to escape while the pizza roll bakes. Place a small piece of the filling above the small slit so that it's easily identified.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes. Pizza rolls will be golden brown and heated through.

Serve with your favorite tomato sauce.

*At Peppinos the dough is prepared daily from scratch. You make your own dough or use a convenience product from the supermarket frozen foods case (Rhodes and Bridgford are popular brands). Some supermarket bakeries sell ready-to-use dough as well.

Source: Orlando Sentinel, February 20, 2003