1. Make the stromboli dough: Pour the warm water into the bowl of a stand mixer. Sprinkle the yeast and sugar over the water. Let the mixture “proof” by letting it sit in the bowl until foamy and fragrant, about 5 minutes. If you don’t have a stand mixer or prefer to do this by hand, you can do this step in a mixing bowl.
2. Add the olive oil, salt, and flour to the bowl with the yeast and water. Using the paddle attachment, beat on low speed for 2 minutes. If you’re doing this by hand, you will need to incorporate the flour, salt and olive oil and work the mixture with your hands. I find it helpful to lightly flour your hands when working the dough.
3. The beauty of this recipe is that your mixer will do most of the kneading! Keep the dough in the mixer, switching to a dough hook if you have one, and beat on medium low for an additional 5 minutes. If you would rather do this by hand, simply transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead the dough until it is smooth. If the dough starts getting too tacky, either in the bowl or on a work surface, simply sprinkle in a little more flour. Your dough is ready when you can poke your finger in it, and it slowly bounces back.
4. Lightly oil a large bowl with olive oil or spray it lightly with nonstick cooking spray. Place the dough in the bowl and turn it to coat lightly with oil. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature for 60 to 90 minutes. The dough should double in size. While the dough is rising, take the time to get all your stuffing ingredients ready.
5. Prepare your egg wash by combining the eggs and water.
6. Now punch down the dough and divide it in half. If you are only making one stromboli, you can freeze half of the dough for future use. Lightly flour your work surface and your rolling pin. Roll the dough into a 10x16-inch rectangle. Use your hands or a chef’s knife to straighten the dough edges. If you are having difficulty rolling out the dough, let it rest for 10 minutes to allow the gluten to settle. It will make rolling the dough easier.
7. It’s now time to add the fillings. Combine the olive oil and garlic in a small bowl. Spread the olive oil mixture evenly over the rolled out dough. Have the dough facing you with the longer edges on the top and bottom. When you add the fillings, leave a 1-inch border on the bottom and sides, and a 3-inch border on the top.
8. Sprinkle the dough with half of the parsley. Remember the ingredients listed are for 2 stromboli so if you are only making one, make sure you cut the ingredients in half!
9. Arrange a layer of the sliced meats on the dough followed by a layer of cheese. Repeat with more meat and cheese until you have used about half of the meat and half of the cheese. Sprinkle the top of the cheese and meat layers with 6 ounces of sliced drained red bell pepper, 2 tablespoons Pecorino Romano cheese and 1 tablespoon dried oregano. If you are making 2 stromboli, make the other one now. You can place two stromboli on one baking sheet by placing them more towards the side of the pan. They will rise during baking so keep them at least 5 inches apart. You can also put them on two separate parchment paper-lined pans if you like.
10. Using a pastry brush, brush all the edges of dough with the egg wash. Slowly roll the filled dough into a tight 16-inch log, folding in the two shorter ends as your roll (the 3-inch border of dough at the top will be used to seal the roll). I like to dust my hands with flour to make it a bit easier to roll the stromboli. Keep the egg wash as you will need it to glaze the stromboli before it goes in the oven.
11. Place the stromboli log, seam side down, on your parchment lined baking sheet. Cut 3 or 5 slits on a slight diagonal on the top of the stromboli.
12. Before baking, I like to place my filled stromboli on the baking sheet in the refrigerator for 1 hour to rest. The beauty of this recipe is you can let it sit in the fridge for up to 8 hours! Just cover it loosely with plastic wrap.
13. When you are ready to bake your stromboli, preheat your oven to 400 °F. Remove the stromboli from the refrigerator, brush the top and sides with egg wash, and sprinkle the top with oregano to taste.
14. Bake on the middle rack of your oven for 25 minutes or until the crust turns a golden brown. If you opted to make both stromboli, turn the pan halfway through baking so they bake evenly. I test my stromboli for doneness with an instant read thermometer. The temperature should read at least 200 °F in the center. Don’t worry if a little bit of filling leaks out. That’s what makes it Italian!
15. Remove the stromboli from the oven and let rest in the pan for 5 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter or to a cutting board. Slice, serve, and enjoy!

Notes

Inactive Time: dough rising time: 60-90 minutes, dough rest time: 1-8 hours