A bread or a sandwich?

It's amazing how rarely I make recipes by chefs on the Food Network given the number of hours I spend in front of the TV watching them.  However, the other day, I was watching The Best Thing I Ever Made (Sandwiches), and I was inspired by Scott Conant's Scarpetta Stromboli.  It looks like a bread on the outside but qualifies as a sandwich as it has a swirl of salami, mozzarella, and herbs on the inside.  It just looked so delicious I knew I had to try making it.  ...and of course, it was an excuse for another trip to Formaggio Kitchen.  (p.s. This bread was meant to be: one of the cheeses being sampled at Formaggio Kitchen was smoked mozzarella!  In fact, the few pieces they had were the last in the whole store, and I got one!)

Stromboli
Adapted slightly from Scott Conant via the Food Network

Ingredients:

-Dough-

• 1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
• 1 cup cold water
• fruity olive oil (you won't need the whole bottle, but you'll be using it several times, so it's just easier to put the separate measurements in the directions below)
• 2 1/4 cups bread flour (I used King Arthur Organic)
• 1 tsp kosher salt

-Filling-

• 1 cup smoked mozarella, grated
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
• salt
• ground black pepper
• 2 oz Genoa salami, sliced thin

-Topping-

• fruity olive oil
• 1 1/2 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped
• salt
• handful of grape tomatoes, halved

Directions:

1. Dough: whisk together water, yeast, and 2 1/4 tsp olive oil.  Put in a stand mixer with the dough hook attached.  Mix on low speed for 5 minutes.  Add the flour and mix for another 5 minutes.  Turn the speed up to speed 2 and mix for another 5 minutes, adding the salt halfway through.  You may need to add more flour or water based on your specific ingredients and kitchen environment.  When all the mixing is done, drizzle 1 1/2 tsp olive oil over the dough but don't mix it in.
2. Transfer the dough to a large bowl greased with olive oil.  Wrap the bowl with plastic wrap and then put it in a warm, draft-free place (I just put mine in the oven) for about 1 1/2 hours or until the dough is doubled in size.
3. After the dough has finished rising, preheat the oven to 375 degrees fahrenheit.
4. Generously oil a baking sheet.  Roughly form the risen dough into a log and place it on the oiled baking sheet.  Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 10 minutes.
5. After 10 minutes, use your palms to spread out the dough into a large rectangle.  The dough should be about 1/4 inch thick.  You want it to be even in terms of thickness all around, even the edges.
6. Have the long side of the rectangle facing you.  On the bottom 2/3 of the dough, sprinkle the mozzarella and basil.  Add a little salt and lots of black pepper on top.  Then, add the salami on top of that.  Roll the bottom 1/3 over the middle 1/3, fold in the edges slightly, then roll the now bottom 1/2 over the top 1/2 (the non-filling part).  Position the roll seam-side-down on the baking sheet.
7. Brush the top of the dough with olive oil, sprinkle with rosemary and salt, and press the tomato halves (exposed inside up) into the dough.
8. Cover the tray with plastic wrap and let sit for 15 minutes.
9. 5 minutes before ready to bake, place a pan in the bottom of the oven and fill with cold water.  Close the oven door and allow steam to build up in the oven for 5 minutes.
10. If there is still a lot of water in the pan, remove the pan from the oven.  If not, and if the pan is not in the way, you can just leave it there while the bread bakes. 
11. Place the baking tray in the oven for a total of 45 minutes.  After the first 20 minutes, turn the tray 180 degrees.  After the next 20 minutes, turn the tray again 180 degrees.
12. Allow the bread to cool on a wire rack briefly.  Slice and serve!

The risen dough.

The log.

The flattened dough.

Cheeese and basil yumm.

Salami for more yummm.

All rolled up, the yummy fillings safe and sound inside.

It has spots!

Out of the oven, golden brown and delicious...

...unfortunately lots of tomato casualties 

I stuck some of the tomatoes back on.  It's allowed.

Cutting open the bread and seeing the inside for the first time is so exciting!

Beautiful swirl of amazing amazing flavor!

This bread was everything Scott Conant promised!  Perhaps one of the more flavor-packed breads I have ever tasted.  I served it with some mascarpone mixed with thyme, rosemary, and orange zest for an extra burst of flavor.  Yummy yummy, and now I'm going to go sample the leftovers for lunch.  I will also try to freeze a piece to see if it fares well...