Pork Sausage & Pepper Stromboli

Adjust rack to middle position and preheat oven to 425 degrees (middle and bottom racks for 4 servings). Wash and dry produce. 

Lightly oil a baking sheet (2 baking sheets for 4 servings). Remove pizza dough from packaging and place on oiled baking sheet (2 balls per baking sheet for 4). Shape each piece of dough into a ball. (TIP: Spray your hands with nonstick cooking spray or dust with flour to prevent sticking.) Lightly oil the tops of dough balls. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rest at room temperature, 20 minutes.

Halve, core, and thinly slice bell pepper into strips. Peel and mince or grate garlic.

Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add bell pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 4-6 minutes. 

Remove sausage* from casing if necessary; discard casing. Add to pan with bell pepper; cook, breaking up meat into pieces, until browned and cooked through, 4-6 minutes. Carefully drain any excess grease from pan.

Stir cream cheese, ¼ cup water (½ cup for 4 servings), and 1 tsp Tuscan Heat Spice (2 tsp for 4; you’ll use more in the next step) into pan with sausage mixture. Cook, stirring, until most of the water has evaporated, 1-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Remove from heat.

Place garlic, 1 TBSP butter (2 TBSP for 4 servings), and ½ tsp Tuscan Heat Spice (1 tsp for 4) in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave until butter has melted, 30 seconds; stir to combine.

Once dough has rested 20 minutes, using your hands, gently stretch each piece into a 6-by-8-inch rectangle (it helps to stretch the dough on the baking sheet). (For 4, use 2 baking sheets.) TIP: If dough keeps retracting, allow to rest for a few minutes.

Evenly sprinkle each piece of dough with mozzarella, leaving a ½-inch space around edges. Top with sausage and pepper mixture.

Gently roll up each dough rectangle, starting with one of the short sides, to form a log. Arrange stromboli, seam sides down, on baking sheet; pinch ends to close and tuck under each stromboli.

With a small sharp knife, gently cut three small, shallow diagonal slits along the top of each stromboli.

Brush stromboli with garlic herb butter and season with salt and pepper. 

Bake on middle rack until golden brown and crisp, 16-18 minutes. (For 4 servings, bake on middle and bottom racks, swapping positions halfway through.)

Wash out bowl used for butter. When stromboli have 2 minutes left, place marinara in bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and microwave until warmed through, 30-45 seconds.

Transfer stromboli to a cutting board; slice crosswise into quarters.

Divide between plates. Serve with warm marinara on the side for dipping.