Tomato and Mozzarella Rolls

One of the things I like about my new neighborhood in Pittsburgh is the accessibility.  Within a five block radius of my house is a Whole Foods, Borders, Williams & Sonoma, Pottery Barn, Apple Store and a ton of independent shops for me to enjoy.  Of course, a plethora of great restaurants makes the area heaven for me.  One place in particular is a small independent pizza joint that is literally steps from my front door.  They make amazing pizza pies from the freshest ingredients on dough that is perfectly baked to its peak of golden goodness.

These Tomato and Mozzarella Rolls were inspired by a popular item, called “House Rolls”, which are made fresh to order.  I feel the versatility in this recipe is what makes it great.  Just think of the variety of items you could roll into a little bundle of goodness.  I have tried several versions and they all have been good, but the tomato and mozzarella always stood above the rest.

Tomato and Mozzarella Rolls
1 (14 oz.) can pre-made pizza dough
12 cherry tomatoes, whole
12 fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
¾ cup mozzarella, shredded
2 Tbl. olive oil
2 Tbl. parmesan cheese, grated
nonstick cooking spray
flour for dusting

Bake the rolls at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.  Allow to cool slightly before serving.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Spray a cookie sheet with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

Unroll the dough on a floured cutting board and lightly pat the dough to 9” X 13”.  With the dough positioned like a vertical piece of paper, cut a horizontal line across the middle of the dough.  The two halves should look like half-sheets of paper.  Set one half of the dough aside and cut a zigzag pattern in the dough to create six even triangles.  Repeat this process with the remaining half of the dough. Brush each triangle lightly with olive oil, reserving some oil for the tops.

Place even amounts of the basil and mozzarella at the wide end of each triangle.  Next, place a one tomato per triangle on top of the cheese and basil.

Starting with the wide part of the triangle, roll the dough tightly until you reach the end.  Lightly pinch the sides to seal the cheese and tomato into the roll.  Place 1” apart on the greased cookie sheet and brush each roll lightly with olive oil.  Finally, sprinkle the tops of each roll with grated parmesan cheese.

Authors Note:  Two other equally delicious versions of this recipe included Pesto and Pepperoni, and Ham and Cheese.  So now it’s your turn, what would you roll into the center?  Also, the pre-made pizza dough is typically found in the refrigerated section near refrigerated biscuit dough.

 Print This Recipe  Subscribe to Culinary Cory