Strudelicious Panzerotti

To make dough, combine both flours, ground flax, yeast, and salt in a medium bowl. Mix well.
Measure warm water in measuring cup, then stir in olive oil and honey. Pour mixture over dry ingredients and mix using a wooden spoon to form a ball. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 2 minutes. Spray another medium bowl with olive oil spray (or coat lightly with olive oil) and place dough inside. Cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until double in size, 20 to 30 minutes.

While dough is rising, make sauce and filling.

To make sauce, heat olive oil over medium heat in a medium pot. Add onions and garlic. Cook and stir until onions are tender, about 5 minutes. Be careful not to burn them. Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, oregano, balsamic vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper. Cover and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in basil. (Sauce may be made one or two days in advance and kept refrigerated.)

To make filling, heat olive oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage, onions, and bell pepper. Cook and stir until sausage is no longer pink. Add mushrooms. Cook and stir until mushrooms are tender, about 4 minutes. Stir in turkey pepperoni and oregano. Cook for 2 more minutes. Remove from heat. (Filling may be made one or two days in advance and kept refrigerated.)

Tip: Look for a bag of pre-shredded mixed Italian cheeses (such as Mozzarella, Asiago, Parmesan, and Provolone) in the dairy aisle of your grocery store.

Spray parchment paper lightly with olive oil spray (or brush lightly with oil). When dough has risen, turn out onto parchment paper and, using a rolling pin, roll dough into a rectangle to fit parchment. Sprinkle dough with extra flour if too sticky.

Spread 1/3 cup sauce lengthwise in centre of dough. (Make a “strip” of sauce measuring about 12 x 5 inches; leave 1-inch margin at top and bottom and 2½-inch margins on both sides). Spread filling evenly over sauce. Top with grated cheese.

Using a sharp knife, make 8 cuts (about 1½ inches wide and 2 inches long) down each long side of dough. To braid dough and enclose filling, fold 1-inch top dough border over filling then, beginning with left-hand side, fold first dough strip at a slight downward angle over the filling. Do not stretch the dough too much. Fold first right-hand dough strip over top and continue to braid dough, tucking in ends and bottom dough border. (This sounds complicated but you’re simply braiding the dough over the filling as if you are making a strudel!).

Brush top of panzerotti lightly with beaten egg.

Place panzerotti (and parchment) on baking sheet. Bake at 400ºF for 15 to 20 minutes, until top is golden brown. Remove panzerotti from oven and let cool 5 minutes before slicing (it’s hot!). Slice into four pieces and serve with warm sauce on the side.