Creamed spinach is one of my most favorite steakhouse side dishes. Its creamy, cheesy spinach goodness that is actually very easy to make at home. I love using it as a filling for stromboli, it creates a sauce just like an alfredo and is just amazing. Stromboli is sort of like a pizza but all the ingredients are rolled inside like the best "hot pocket" you have ever eaten. I love making them because they are so easy to make up and then freeze for a healthy weeknight meal that just pops into the oven. I like to make up my filling ingredients before hand or use up leftovers from other meals. This particular stromboli uses fatty, delicious chicken thigh that I roast on the bone, simply with salt and pepper. This is paired with the cheesy creamed spinach and then all rolled up into the whole grain, homemade pizza dough local mozzarella cheese, oh yes! When you cut into the stromboli the cheese oozes out hot and stringy and just perfect!!
Ingredients
1/2 of my homemade pizza dough recipe, click here for my recipe.
2 Pasture raised chicken thigh/leg combo, skin on, bone-in. If your butcher or farmer does not sell them as one piece just get 2 thighs and 2 legs.
Sea salt & fresh ground pepper, to season the chicken & spinach.
3 Cups fresh, organic spinach, chopped.
1 Organic spring onion or 2 large organic shallots, sliced thinly.
1 Tbsp pasture raised butter
1 Clove organic garlic, minced or grated.
1/4 Cup heavy cream
1/4 Cup parmesan cheese, grated.
1/4 tsp nutmeg, fresh ground preferred.
1 Cup mozzarella cheese, I prefer the part skim for stromboli, it isn't as "wet."
1 Tbsp dried Italian herbs, to sprinkle over the top.
1/4 Cup parmesan cheese, to sprinkle over the top.
1 farm raised egg, for egg wash.
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Set your pizza dough aside, in a warm area, drizzled with olive oil and covered with a kitchen towel.
Salt and pepper your chicken thigh/leg combos and roast in your preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until they are cooked through and golden brown. Set aside to cool. When the chicken is cool enough to work with remove the skin and discard. Take the meat off the bone and chop small or shred. Set aside.
In a saute pan over medium heat, melt butter. Cook garlic and onion or shallot for a few minutes or until translucent. Add spinach to the pan and season with salt and pepper, saute till it is wilted and cooked, about 4 minutes. Add in heavy cream and cook for a few minutes to reduce, when the cream is thick and coats the spinach well, remove from heat and add in the parmesan cheese and grated nutmeg. Stir to combine well and set aside. The spinach needs to be completely cool to use in the stromboli or it will be too watery and ruin your crust, it thickens upon sitting.
When the spinach is cooled, cut your dough in half and roll each piece into small balls. Set one aside. Dust a surface with flour and roll out one piece of the dough, into a rectangle. Layer your chicken, spinach and mozzarella onto a little more than half of the dough, leaving one long edge clear so that you can roll and seal it.
In a small bowl mix the egg with a Tbsp of water and whisk till frothy. Brush all edges of the dough with the egg wash and fold in the shorter ends, toward the filling, it will sort of be over top of the filling slightly. Then starting with the end that has the filling on it roll toward the empty side, very tightly and place seam side down on a pizza stone, mine is cast iron. Repeat with the other dough. Brush both stromboli with egg wash and cut slits into the tops with a pairing knife. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning and parmesan cheese. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Remove and let rest for a few minutes before cutting. Cut in half and serve with dipping sauce, I like a very spicy marinara or even an alfredo would awesome.
Enjoy!
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