Pizza Rolls Filled with Escarole, Smoked Mozzarella and Dried Sausage
(Adapted from Piatto Unico, by Toni Lydecker
Course
Appetizer
Cuisine
Italian
Prep Time30minutes
Cook Time20minutes
Total Time50minutes
Servings2dozen hors d'oeuvres
Ingredients
1head escarolecored (or substitute spinach or chard)
3 tablespoonsextra virgin olive oilplus more for the pan
1small onionchopped
2garlic clovesfinely chopped
2ouncescacciatorini or other dried sausageGenoa salami or soppressata, cut in small squares (about 2/3 cup)
1poundpizza doughhomemade or purchased
1 to 1 1/2cupsshredded smoked mozzarella, Scamorza or imported provolone
Instructions
Wash the escarole well, changing the water until no grit remains. Cut the leaves in shreds.
Fill a large saucepan two-thirds full of cold water and bring to a boil. Cook the escarole until tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Drain well, pressing with a spatula to help eliminate liquid.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute the onion until soft and golden; stir in the garlic, cooking just until fragrant. Stir in the drained escarole and sausage, cooking for a few minutes to blend the flavors; cool and mix in the cheese.
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Lightly oil a rimmed baking sheet. Divide the pizza dough in 2 pieces. Roll and pat one of them to make a rectangle slightly smaller than the dimensions of the sheet.
Spoon half of the filling on the rectangle, leaving a ½-inch border. Starting at one long side, roll the dough around the filling to make a roll. With a sharp knife, slash the dough in a couple of places to allow steam to escape. Repeat with the rest of the dough and filling.
Place the rolls side by side on the baking sheet. Bake on the center rack until well browned and some of the filling oozes out the vents, about 20 minutes. Cool slightly and cut each roll crosswise in 2-bite pieces.