The Staten Island Italian Combo Stromboli
Pizza Arrotolata·(peet-tsah ahr-roh-toh-lah-tah)
Chapter 4 — Slice Shop Specials
The stromboli didn't cross the Atlantic; it was born in Pennsylvania and perfected in the neon-lit slice shops of Staten Island. This isn't a dumping ground for leftover deli meat. It is a meticulously engineered cylinder of cured pork fat, sharp cheese, and 72-hour cold-fermented dough, deeply scored to vent steam and plastered in sesame seeds. Respect the architecture, use a digital scale, and let the baking steel do the heavy lifting.
Before you start
Mix the dough matrix.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the flour, 65°F water, yeast, and diastatic malt. Mix on low speed for about 2 minutes until a shaggy mass forms.
Autolyse and develop gluten.
Let the dough rest for 15 minutes to hydrate. Turn the mixer to medium-low, add the salt, and knead for 3 minutes. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil and continue kneading for 4 to 5 minutes until the dough is smooth, supple, and registers 80°F to 85°F on an instant-read thermometer.
Divide and cold ferment.
Turn the dough onto an unfloured counter, divide it into two equal 417g pieces, and form each into a tight ball. Place into lightly oiled, airtight containers and refrigerate immediately for 24 to 72 hours.
Temper the dough.
Remove one dough ball from the refrigerator 2 hours prior to baking to allow it to reach room temperature. A cold dough will snap back, fight you, and tear.
Ingredients
- high-protein bread flour500 g
- water310 g
- fine sea salt10 g
- extra virgin olive oil8 g
- diastatic malt powder5 g
- instant dry yeast2 g
- Genoa salami1/4 lb
- spicy soppressata1/4 lb
- capocollo1/4 lb
- deli-style pepperoni1/4 lb
- low-moisture whole-milk mozzarella6 oz
- sharp provolone4 oz
- extra virgin olive oil1 tbsp
- dried oregano1 tsp
- pickled banana peppers1/4 cup
- egg white1 large
- toasted sesame seeds2 tbsp
- granulated garlic1 pinch
- Italian seasoning1 pinch
- marinara sauce1 cup
Method
- 01
Saturate the baking steel.
Place a baking steel on the middle-lower rack and preheat your oven to its absolute maximum setting (500°F to 550°F) for at least one full hour to ensure enough thermal mass to shock the dough into blistering.
- 02
Stretch the canvas.
On a lightly floured piece of parchment paper, use your fingertips to gently stretch the tempered dough out into a 12x16-inch rectangle, maintaining an even 1/4-inch thickness. Do not use a rolling pin, which will crush the gas structure you spent days developing.
- 03
Build the Italian combo layer.
Brush the dough interior with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, leaving a pristine 2-inch border around all edges. Lay down the provolone first to act as a lipid barrier against the meat juices, then shingle the capocollo, salami, soppressata, and pepperoni in an even, flat layer. Scatter the mozzarella, oregano, and dried banana peppers over the top.
- 04
Execute the slice-shop fold.
Brush the exposed 2-inch border with the egg wash to act as glue. Fold one long side of the dough exactly over the middle of the ingredients, then pull the opposite long side over it to create a tight, overlapping seam. Pinch the seam aggressively, fold the short ends underneath the log, and roll the entire stromboli over so it rests seam-side down.
- 05
Apply the Staten Island finish.
Brush the entire exterior heavily with egg wash, then coat liberally with sesame seeds, granulated garlic, and Italian seasoning. Using a razor blade or sharp knife, score 5 diagonal slits across the top, cutting just deep enough to expose the first layer of meat and vent internal steam.
- 06
Bake and rest.
Slide the stromboli, still on its parchment, directly onto the preheated steel. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, rotating 180 degrees halfway through, until the crust is a deep mahogany. Remove to a wire rack and mandate a 15-minute rest before slicing to prevent a catastrophic blowout of molten fat and cheese. Serve with warm marinara on the side.
Notes
Baker's Percentages.
This canonical NY-style slice dough operates at 62% hydration, 2% salt, 1.5% oil, 1% malt, and 0.4% yeast. Weigh everything, including the water. The diastatic malt powder is crucial; it fuels the yeast during the long cold ferment and provides the sugars necessary to brown the crust at home-oven temperatures.
Moisture management is critical.
The single greatest point of failure for home cooks is wet filling. Dry your pickled peppers aggressively with paper towels and never, under any circumstances, put marinara sauce inside the stromboli—it will boil and rupture the dough.
The leftover dough.
The dough measurements provided yield exactly two 417g balls. Use the second ball to make a classic 14-inch NY slice pie, or double the filling ingredients above to roll two identical strombolis.