Since I started this food blog, mealtime and the dishes we prepare have become a bigger focus for everyone at home. It’s been fun watching the kids ask questions about ingredients and techniques. My oldest son, B, has developed a real interest in cooking over the past few months. Part of that is from the blog, and part comes from watching Australia’s MasterChef and Junior MasterChef. In Australia those shows are huge—Junior MasterChef especially inspired B by showing what young cooks can do, from making pasta from scratch to tempering chocolate.
We were impressed by the kids on the show. Some tackled complex techniques and dishes that went far beyond simple snacks. B watched with excitement and asked me to teach him to cook and to post the recipes on The Black Peppercorn. That’s how our new series, “Kids in the Kitchen,” was born. These recipes are designed with children in mind: clear steps, approachable techniques, and family-friendly results. With an adult’s supervision, kids can follow along and help create delicious meals for everyone to enjoy.
Today’s recipe is a simple, kid-friendly stromboli. Think of it as a rolled-up pizza—like a jelly roll but filled with pizza toppings and cheese. We serve it with a bowl of pizza sauce for dipping. There’s no sauce baked inside, which makes assembly cleaner for little hands, but dipping brings the familiar pizza flavor. All of our kids loved this one, and B had a great time putting it together. Give it a try with your children—it’s fun to assemble and always a hit at the table.
Roll the pizza dough on a lightly floured surface into an 18×12 inch rectangle or oval. Spread the ham, pepperoni and any other desired toppings (olives, peppers, onions) across the dough, leaving roughly a one-inch border around the edges. Distribute the grated cheeses evenly over the toppings.
Starting from one of the wider sides, fold the dough up over the toppings so it covers about half the rectangle. Tuck the filling and roll the dough to form a tight log, leaving just the last edge of plain dough. Fold that edge over the roll to seal it.
Tuck and fold both ends of the stromboli to fully enclose the filling. Make sure there aren’t any gaps where cheese could leak out while baking. For a glossy finish, brush the top with a lightly beaten egg and sprinkle with oregano.
Bake the stromboli at 350°F (175°C) for 30–40 minutes, until the crust is golden brown. If it still looks pale after the time is up, leave it in for another 5–10 minutes. When it comes out of the oven, let it rest for about 5 minutes before slicing so the cheeses set slightly and the filling doesn’t run.
Pizza Stromboli
Ingredients
- 1 package fresh pizza dough
- 6 slices ham
- 20 pizza pepperoni
- other pizza toppings (olives, peppers, onions, etc.)
- 1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella
- 1 1/2 cups grated cheddar
- 1 egg lightly beaten
- 1 tsp oregano
Instructions
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Roll the pizza dough on a floured surface to an 18×12 inch rectangle.
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Spread the ham, pepperoni, other pizza toppings and cheeses evenly across the dough, leaving about a one-inch border.
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Fold the wider side of the dough over the toppings so it covers about half the dough. Tuck and roll the dough to form a tight log, then fold the final plain edge over the roll to seal it.
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Tuck and fold the two ends of the stromboli roll, ensuring there are no gaps where cheese can escape.
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Brush the top with the beaten egg and sprinkle with oregano.
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Bake at 350°F for 30–40 minutes, until the crust is golden. If needed, bake an additional 5–10 minutes to achieve a deeper color.
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Let the stromboli rest for 5 minutes after baking, then slice and serve with warm pizza sauce for dipping.
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