Fall Shines In This Stromboli Recipe

Celebrate the flavors of a fun summer ending and the beginning of a beautiful colorful fall. In this scrumptious recipe I have combined the last of the sweet tomatoes in a dipping sauce and the first of
falls bright buttery orange squash, creating a dish all will love. Here in Vermont the leaves are starting to change and the nights are getting cold, setting us up for a brilliant fall foliage!

Dough
1 packet active dry yeast
1 1/4 cups water
3 cups unbleached flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons olive oil

Filling
4 Italian Sausages, casing removed and sauteed
2-3 cups wilted swiss chard or spinach
4 cups of diced butternut squash, sautéed in oil
red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon minced rosemary
1 1/2 cups grated Vermont style Alpine cheese, or cheese of your choice
2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated roman cheese
1 cup loosely packed Italian parsley leaves

Served with fresh made tomato sauce for dipping

DIRECTIONS:
1.  In bowl of electric mixer fitted with dough hook add yeast, honey, and 1 1/4 cup of tepid water in a bowl. Let sit for 5 minutes until foamy. Add oil.

2. Add the flours, herbs, and salt into the mixing bowl. Mix on medium speed for 10 minutes. Dough should be smooth and elastic. 

3. Place the dough in a clean, oiled bowl and cover with clean damp kitchen towel. Let rise until doubled in size, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

4. Punch down the risen dough and place it on a floured board.  Cover and let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes, to relax the gluten.

5. Roll the rested dough into a 14″ x 9″ rectangle. Cover with clean towel and let rest another 10 minutes.

6. Spread the swiss chard, sausage, squash, rosemary, red pepper flakes, and cheeses evenly over dough, layer by layer in the order listed. Season a pinch of salt pepper. In the center, make a row of the parsley leaves. 

7. Roll up the dough, but without rolling too tightly.  Seal ends well.

8. Place on baking sheet lined with a silpat or parchment paper. Stromboli will be long so shape it into a horseshoe. Use a skewer or knife to pierce several holes through the dough all the way down to the baking sheet. Brush loaf with olive oil.

9.  Bake at 400 degrees F for about an 45-55 minutes until golden brown.  Let rest a few minutes before slicing.

I experimented with using some peeled butternut squash as I thought it would sit better in the stromboli.