Golden brown stromboli waiting to cool down before slicing up
I had to make an appetizer for a going away party and was indecisive about what to make. I like making stromboli’s because they are a crowd pleaser and are really easy to make. They also have no rules about ingredients, its pretty much a free-for-all. They can be savoury or sweet, spicy or mild.
This creation was really and truly based on what was in my pantry. I found ricotta, an un-opened package of maple bacon, onions and garlic. Voila! A bacon ricotta with caramelized onions stromboli.
As you’ve seen already, I made a dessert stromboli using Nutella, peanut butter and banana. And I’ve made them using typical pizza toppings, like tomato sauce and pepperoni with mozzarella and favourite garnishes.
So I was super excited to make this variation! Its crusty shell with hints of freshly ground himalayan sea salt really compliments the more sweet side from the internal ingredients.
You could amp up the maple flavour by using maple syrup to caramelize your onions. Brown sugar is another option or xylitol which is found widely in nature and comes from woody fibrous plant material. It looks just like sugar and tastes just like sugar, but it has about a third the calories as table sugar, and is a healthy alternative for diabetics. Personally I try to avoid cooking or baking with sugar since I’m a sugar addict!
Anyway, back to the stromboli. I think you’ll really like this recipe! Its fun to make and sure to impress your family and friends. Of course, you could make it just for yourself!
Since I’m gluten intolerant I often can’t eat the recipes I’ve created without making a GF version for myself. However, this dough recipe is special because the wheat flour I use, Polselli Classica Tipo 00, is imported from Italy and I got tested with my Dr and am not intolerant to it like the flour in N. America. So you may want to try this flour if you’re sensitive to gluten.
It makes a light, fluffy dough and has no difference in taste or texture since it is wheat flour. But obviously the grains in Italy and perhaps all of Europe are different than the grains here. I don’t know the science behind it all, I’m just glad I can eat it without any ill side-effects!
Let this stromboli cool down at least 20 min before slicing up and serve just at room temp. No one likes piping hot pizza burning their mouths plus the ricotta cheese will taste better when its cooled down and firmed up a bit. Its perfect to make ahead of time and serve 1 hour later.
Caramelized Onion and Maple Bacon Ricotta Stromboli
Ingredients
- 475 Grams Ricotta Cheese Or 16 oz - 2 Cups
- 4 Garlic cloves, minced 2 cloves for ricotta mix and 2 cloves for butter
- 1 Green onion, diced including green
- 1 1/2 Tsp salt
- 1/4 Cup Salted butter
- 1/8 Cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 375 Grams Maple flavoured bacon If you're not a fan of maple bacon then use your favourite kind
- 5 Cooking onions, sliced When they're in season try using vidalia onions to heighten the sweetness or just cooking onions
- 1 Tbsp Smouldering Smoked applewood seasoning I used Club House brand
- 1 Tbsp Xylitol You can substitute with brown or white sugar or Maple Syrup
- 1 Tbsp Semolina Optional
Instructions
- Slice down the centre and dice one green onion including the green portion. Add to ricotta, garlic, and 1/2 tsp of salt. Place in fridge till ready to use.
- In a small bowl combine butter and 2 cloves of garlic for topping stromboli. Set aside.
- Slice bacon strips in half and fry up in large frying pan, avoiding over crowding. Place on a plate with paper towel to absorb grease.
- Halve and slice cooking onions and cook in grease of bacon. Add 1/2 tsp salt and cook for about 5 minutes. Then add applewood seasoning, xylitol or sugar to onions and cook for about 45 minutes on low heat. Stir often to prevent burning. Once onions are brown and very soft turn off heat and set aside to cool.
- After dough has risen a send time, roll out onto a well-floured surface. Alternatively you can roll out store-bought dough onto a floured surface. Begin by smoothing out ricotta mixture out over dough, leaving a 2" perimeter. Then top with caramelized onions.
- Add bacon strips to ricotta mix leaving space in between strips which will make it easier to roll-up dough.
- Heat oven to 450 degree and butter a large cookie sheet, min 8x13 in size. Sprinkle semolina flour on butter. Set aside but close by to make transfer to stromboli easier
- Carefully and quickly, tightly roll-up stromboli and with oiled hands pick up stromboli and transfer to cookie sheet. Alternatively you could roll-out dough onto parchment paper for easy transfer to cookie sheet. Butter and sprinkle semolina on parchment before laying dough on it.
- Using a silicon brush cover generously with butter and garlic mixture. Sprinkle on freshly grated parm cheese and himalayan pink sea salt and semolina flour. Bake for 25 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool at least 20 minutes before slicing up.
