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5 from 4 votes

Sausage Broccoli Rabe Rolls

Sausage broccoli rabe rolls combine sweet Italian sausage, roasted broccoli rabe, and melty mozzarella, wrapped up with pizza dough that's topped with sesame seeds and baked until golden.
Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Cold fermenting time1 day
Total Time1 day 1 hour 10 minutes
Course: pizza
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 4 rolls

Ingredients

For the dough

  • 3 1/4 cups (406g) bread flour
  • 2 teaspoons (7g) diastatic malt powder optional
  • 1/2 teaspoon (2g) instant yeast I always use SAF brand
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons (8g) fine sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon (4g) sugar
  • 9 ounces (260g) cool water
  • 1 tablespoon (14g) olive oil

For the sausage broccoli rabe rolls

  • 1 24 ounce pizza dough
  • 12 ounces block mozzarella shredded, I use Galbani
  • 1 bunch broccoli rabe rinsed and bottom 2 inches cut off and discarded
  • 1 pound Italian sausage links with fennel
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 cup Pecorino Romano grated
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 teaspoons water
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Instructions

For the dough

  • Place water into a bowl large enough to hold both the water and all the dry ingredients and still have room to spare. Mix together all of the dry ingredients in another bowl.
  • Add the dry ingredients to the water a bit at a time and mix thoroughly to form a dry rough mass. Pour the oil over the dough, mix again to scrape off any dough residue stuck to side of the bowl, and place the rough shaggy dough onto a work surface.
  • Knead the dough for 7 minutes. If the dough is too sticky, place a clean bowl inverted over the dough and wait 30 minutes before resuming. Return to kneading (just make sure to knead for at least a total of 7 minutes).
  • Place the bowl over the dough once more and let sit for 30-40 minutes to warm up before forming the dough ball.
  • Once the time has elapsed, pull the dough towards its end repeatedly to form a smooth ball. Pinch the seam side and place the dough ball seam side down into an oiled bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 12 hours before using.

For the sausage broccoli rabe rolls

  • Remove the dough 2 hours before using so that it warms up. Preheat oven to 425f and set the rack to the middle level.
  • Place the sausage in a baking dish and poke a few holes in each link. Roast the sausage for 20 minutes.
  • Remove and discard the bottom 2 inches of the broccoli rabe. Chop the rest into 1-inch pieces. Toss the broccoli rabe in the olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder and spread out onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Roast the broccoli rabe for 10 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, on a floured worked surface, open the dough ball with your hands or roll it out to a 1/4" thick circle about 17-18 inches in size. Cut the dough into 4 equal sized pie shape pieces.
  • Slice the sausage on a diagonal into 1/2" thick slices.
  • Arrange the dough with the point facing upwards and lay a 1/4 of the sausage perpendicular to the point in the center of the dough. Leave at least 1 inch of dough without sausage on each side. Place 1/4 of the broccoli rabe on top of the sausage.
  • Sprinkle 1/4 of the mozzarella and Pecorino on top of the broccoli rabe.
  • Grab the point of the dough and wrap it over the filling and then tuck it underneath leaving the seam side down.
  • Repeat for the next 3 rolls. Place all 4 rolls seam-side down on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
  • Beat the egg and water together and brush it on top of each roll. Cut a few slits on top of each roll for air venting. Sprinkle each roll with the sesame seeds.
  • Bake on the middle rack for 18-22 minutes at 425f or until golden brown.  When done, let rest for at least 5 minutes.  Cut the rolls in half and serve with a side of marinara if desired for dipping. Enjoy!

Notes

  • Feel free to substitute 24 ounces of store-bought pizza dough.  
  • The dough can be cold fermented for as little as 12 hours in the fridge, to as long as 72 hours.
  • Leftovers can be saved for up to 3 days and can be reheated at 350f on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet until hot. About 10 minutes.

Nutrition

Calories: 1171kcal | Carbohydrates: 86.3g | Protein: 57.5g | Fat: 65.6g | Saturated Fat: 24.6g | Cholesterol: 209mg | Sodium: 1130mg | Potassium: 790mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 3.7g | Calcium: 572mg | Iron: 7mg