My husband takes his football viewing very seriously. What began as a nice way to decompress from the pressures of work and adult responsibilities soon morphed into realizing how amazing the pastime can be paired with food! Every year, my husband loves to plan out his football snacks just as much as he enjoys watching the games. Let’s face it – good eating is a major part of the event! I’m personally not a fan of football, but I love how it gets my family into the kitchen and interested in more creative ways to meal plan and eat. I also love how it turns cooking into a shared event because as much as I love to cook, I also enjoy a good night off!

Several years ago, my husband planned to make homemade strombolis on Superbowl Sunday, and it instantly became a family tradition. We termed them “Super Strombolis” to match the night and now we look forward to making and devouring them every Superbowl! If you’re not familiar with strombolis, they are kind of an Italian-American invention of dough filled with your favorite meats and cheeses. Think calzone, but rolled instead of stuffed. The great thing about homemade strombolis is that they are super easy to pull together, inexpensive, can be customized to meet diverse tastes (my now-vegetarian husband does onions, peppers, and mushrooms for his while I just enjoy plain cheese in mine), and they are absolutely delicious! They also yield a ton of leftovers and are simply a perfect meal for Superbowl, or really anytime you want!

Here’s our favorite way to make homemade strombolis, but play around and experiment with them any way you’d like—just don’t forget the special seasoning mix on top, it’s the best part. Enjoy!

Super Stromboli

• 1 pizza dough, thawed
• ¼ cup sliced pepperoni
• 6 slices provolone cheese
• ¼ pound sliced hot Italian ham
• ¼ pound sliced Genoa salami
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• marinara or prepared tomato sauce, for dipping

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Dust your hands with a bit of flour and roll out dough onto a clean countertop or work surface. Stretch out dough, then cut into 4 equal square pieces. Use a rolling pin to stretch each piece out a bit thinner.
3. Divide cheese and meats into 4 equal parts and cover each segment of dough with ¼ of the ingredients, making layers.
4. Roll each piece from corner to corner as if you’re rolling up a carpet or mat, then pinch the ends to seal and prevent leakages.
5. Brush rolls with extra-virgin olive oil then mix sesame seeds, Parmesan cheese, and seasonings in a small bowl, and sprinkle onto the tops of each roll.
6. Bake until golden, about 15-20 minutes. Serve with warm sauce for dipping.