VeganMoFo Day 13: Sausage and Kale Stromboli

I’m calling this a stromboli because I just like the sound of it. It makes people think you slaved over a hot stove all evening while humming ‘That’s Amore’. You also can call this a pizza dog, a pizza pocket, a stuffed breadstick, etc. If you live in San Francisco, this is pretty close to the Vegan Pig in a Blanket that’s sold at the Whole Foods in the Haight. I wouldn’t really call this cooking...it’s more like 'assembling'.  But it’s another vegan creation to add to my repertoire, so I hereby present to you, the lazy person’s stromboli:

  

Makes 4 pieces

• Pre-made pizza dough (I used Whole Foods' refrigerated whole wheat dough…you can also make your own) 
• 1 bunch of kale, chopped
• 4 vegan sausages (I used Tofurky Italian Sausages)
• Vegan pesto, store-bought or homemade (optional)
• Some tomato or marinara sauce
• Nutritional yeast
• Olive oil, for sautéing 

1. Chop kale into small pieces and sauté in olive oil (or steam) until wilted. Set aside and let cool.
2. Preheat oven to 425°F. (or whatever the instructions on the package say)
3. Divide pizza dough into 4 pieces. 
4. On a lightly floured surface, stretch each piece into flat rectangles.
5. Spread a layer of pesto on each piece, followed by a layer of tomato or marinara sauce, a layer of kale, and a sprinkling of nutritional yeast.
6. Place one sausage in the center of each piece.
7. Bring the dough over the filling and seal edges. (It’s ok if they don’t seal completely…they’ll look rustic that way!)
8. Transfer each piece (with the sealed side faced down) to a parchment lined baking sheet.
9. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until golden brown.

Some notes:

• I guess for a fancier look, I’ll chop the sausages into small pieces next time.  
• This would also be great with vegan burger crumbles, Gimme Lean, seasoned tofu, tempeh, etc.
• If you’re a fan of vegan cheese, you can add some in for a more authentic Italian feeling.

This was pretty delicious. Lazy + hungry can sometimes be a dangerous combination for your wallet. A little bit of effort was required here, but everything came together in no time. Score 1 for the lazy person’s stromboli. :)