Pizza Roll-ups

You would think just two days before Christmas, one day before we fly out of town I would have better things to do besides post. I do. I could make a list: laundry, pack, organize, clean. I don't really want to do any of those things though, so I am posting instead.

Our neighborhood had a Christmas party last Sunday night. It was wonderful, complete with a hay ride through the neighborhood to look at Christmas lights and caroling as we rode. It was a potluck and I wanted to bring a main course, because I suspected (and was right) there would be lots and lots of desserts. I also had arugula I needed to use.

I decided to try pizza roll-ups. I saw a recipe for mushroom pizza roll-ups on Bitten and thought I'd attempt those. While I was at it, I thought I'd make the traditional, more kid friendly sausage and cheese pizza rolls, which recipe found elsewhere on the internet. Plus, there was that arugula so I decided to make my own variation to use the arugula as well.

I had varied degrees of success. The sausage and cheese roll-ups looked the nicest. The arugula tasted the best (I thought). The mushroom was a bit of a flop--I think too much moisture for the dough to rise in the oven and too rich with all the mushrooms. Regardless, all three were gone pretty quickly at the potluck. A double batch of dough will make two-three pizza rolls. I am not including the recipe for the mushrooms because I don't think it I will make it again. You can include the pizza sauce on the arugula one if you want--I did this time, but don't think I will next time so the dough rises more in the oven (at least that's my hypothesis). Serve on the side if you don't use it inside the roll-up.

Pizza Roll-Ups
Adapted from Taste of Home plus my inventions

A batch of your favorite pizza dough (click here for my favorite)

For sausage and cheese filling for one pizza roll-up
1 lb bulk Italian sausage
7 oz roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
1 c mozzarella cheese, grated (or other Italian cheese)

For arugula filling for one pizza roll-up
one small bunch of arugula, coarsely torn
thinly sliced Italian deli salami
1 c mozzarella cheese (or other Italian cheese), grated
1 c pizza sauce (optional)

For the sausage and cheese filling: Cook sausage over medium heat until no longer pink. Stir in red peppers and mozzarella cheese. Roll dough into a long rectangle. Top with sausage topping. Roll up jelly roll style, starting with a short side. Tuck ends under and pinch seam to seal. Mix an egg with a little water and brush over top of roll, sprinkle with some parmesan cheese (optional). Bake in preheated 375 degrees oven for 25 -30 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting into 1/2 - 1" slices. (A variation: use 1/2 lb sausage and 10 oz of chopped spinach).

For the arugula filling: Roll out pizza dough into a long rectangle. Spread salami across the top of the dough. Top with arugula and then cheese. Mix an egg with a little water and brush over top of roll, sprinkle with some parmesan cheese (optional). Bake in preheated 375 degrees oven for 25 - 30 minutes or until golden brown.