Stromboli?

So, I found a pie crust in my freezer that I knew wouldn't actually become a pie anytime soon. I also had some browned loose Italian sausage. I wasn't sure how to bring these two things together, but I gave it a go anyway. I'm not sure I can call it stromboli since it's made with a pie crust, but I don't know what else to call it. Next time I'll make it with a pizza crust and call it stromboli without hesitation! Recipe bonuses - it tricked Natty into eating spinach and it can easily be made vegetarian.


Sausage and Spinach Stromboli
1 frozen pie crust
1 batch pizza sauce (here's one recipe) or other thick red sauce
1/3 lb. browned loose mild Italian sausage
2 large handfuls chopped spinach
1 small carrot, sliced
1/4 small onion, sliced
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Stretch pie crust out slightly on greased cookie sheet. In a saute pan, heat olive oil and add carrot and onions. Cook until tender. Add spinach and cook until wilted. Salt and pepper to taste. Spread pizza sauce on pie crust. Top with sausage, spinach mixture, and cheese. Carefully roll pie crust into a tube. Place in 400 degree oven and cook until lightly browned (mine took about 45 minutes). Slice and serve topped with remaining warm pizza sauce.

Pizza

Nothing better than homemade pizza! I toyed with the dough recipe included in my bread machine to bump up the amount of whole wheat allowing me to pretend that pizza is healthy. It worked, but the dough was too wet and needed extra flour when rolling out.

Pizza Dough
2/3 cup water
1/2 tsp honey
1 tsp salt
1 tblsp extra virgin olive oil
1 cup bread flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/4 tsp instant yeast
I'm not sure how to translate the recipe to be made without a bread machine, but the machine kneads for 25 minutes and then rises for an hour.

Pizza Sauce
1 14.5 oz can diced tomato
2 tblsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tblsp sugar
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp oregano
dash onion powder
dash crushed red pepper
pinch salt
Combine all ingredients in saucepan. Bring to simmer then reduce to low. Cook 20-30 minutes to reduce. Use stick blender to puree. Let sauce cool in refrigerator before topping pizza.