Over the past months, we’ve been busy assembling recipe kits to send out to food banks and community pantries across our area. Each kit is designed to be practical, affordable, and genuinely enjoyable to cook — with clear instructions, measured ingredients, and recipes that work in real home kitchens.
The aim is simple: to make good food feel possible, even when budgets are tight.
This Stromboli recipe is one we’ve shared in kit form, written and portioned out by our brilliant in-house Italian chef, Carlo. Stromboli is a rolled, filled bread (think pizza dough meets a chewy loaf) and it’s endlessly adaptable depending on what you have to hand, which can be great if you’re trying to make ingredients last and avoid food waste.
It’s also a great, simple introduction to bread-making!
Stromboli
Serves 6
Stromboli, named after the volcanic island in Italy, is a savoury baked bread roll, similar to rolled-up pizza, filled with meats, vegetables and cheeses.
Ingredients
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340g strong bread flour (supplied)
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1 tsp salt
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180ml warm water (blood temperature – 38–40°C)
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20g fresh yeast (supplied)
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1 tsp sugar
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2 tbsp oil
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1 red pepper (supplied)
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50g Cheddar cheese (supplied)
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Fresh or dried herbs of choice
Method
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Deseed and cut the pepper into ½cm strips, season, and roast in a little oil until soft.
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Grate the Cheddar.
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Mix the warm water and yeast and leave for 10 minutes to activate. (If the water is too hot, it will kill the yeast.)
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Sieve the flour and salt into a bowl and make a well in the centre.
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Add the oil and yeast mixture, then stir to combine.
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Add a little more water if needed to form a soft dough.
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Knead for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
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Place in an oiled bowl, cover, and leave to rise until doubled in size (1–1.5 hours).
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Lightly flour your work surface.
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Knock back the dough and shape into a 20 × 40cm rectangle.
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Scatter over the cheese and peppers. (You can also add herbs, chilli, or other soft vegetables.)
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Roll up from the long side like a Swiss roll and pinch the ends closed.
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Cover with oiled cling film and prove until risen and pillowy.
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Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt.
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Bake in a pre-heated oven at 200°C for 10 minutes.
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Reduce heat to 180°C and bake for a further 25–30 minutes.
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Cool before slicing.
If this recipe has whetted your appetite, you’ll love The Italian Kitchen — a new cooking class that focusses on the wonderful flavours of Italy. It’s all about foundational skills, bold flavours, and food that feels delicious but doable.
We hope you enjoy this recipe — whether it arrives as part of a kit or you’re trying it at home. If you cook it, we’d love to see it:
Tag us on social media @edinburghfoodsocial or email your photos to hello@edinburghfoodsocial.org
