The original pepperoni roll seems to hark from West Virginia, but it has been adapted throughout the region. My sister makes pepperoni rolls for the family and they are popular with everyone, young and old.
Typically she makes a batch when family will be at the house and just sets this on the counter. A batch of 20 good-sized rolls are consumed before they've grown cold. With that said, they are equally good at room temperature and should not be refrigerated.
Assemble: Divide the dough ball in half. Form each half into a rectangle with your hands. Cut each rectangle into half again horizontally, then cut each into five roughly equal sized pieces as shown. You will have 20 pieces in all (4 x 5). Cover with a clean towel. If pieces are not quite equal, then pinch a piece of the dough from a large portion and add to a small portion.
Roll one piece of dough into a square. Add 4 slices of pepperoni plus 4 more on top of that for a double layer. (*see pepperoni note if using sticks.) Cut a a piece of string cheese in half, and then in half lengthwise or sprinkle shredded cheese to cover the pepperoni. Fold in the ends and turn the bottom flap of dough up and over the pepperoni and roll over. Using your finger dipped in water, coat the edge of the seam and press together to seal. Place a parchment lined baking sheet and cover with a clean towel. Make the 19 remaining rolls using this same technique. Remove towel and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise until doubled in size, 50 to 60 minutes. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees.
Bake: Brush rolls with egg mixture and sprinkle with sesame seeds or kosher salt and Italian seasonings. Bake until golden brown, 25 minutes. Transfer to wire rack and let cool for at least 15 minutes. Serve.
Typically she makes a batch when family will be at the house and just sets this on the counter. A batch of 20 good-sized rolls are consumed before they've grown cold. With that said, they are equally good at room temperature and should not be refrigerated.
In their classic form, they are made with pepperoni sticks, not slices as used here. To make the stick version you simply purchase a full stick of pepperoni, cut it into matchstick sized pieces.. The classic version does not have cheese, which is perhaps good because if the rolls are baked just slightly too long some of the cheese melts out. Today we are making them with cheese.
I've tried several types of cheese and it really doesn't seem to matter which variety you use. From string cheese (as shown here) to the various shredded varieties, they all add flavor but also tend to melt out some if cooked until well browned.
Baked and cooled rolls can be wrapped in plastic, placed in a zipper-lock bag, and frozen for up to 1 month. To reheat, adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Remove plastic and wrap each roll in foil. Bake directly on oven rack until heated through, 35 to 45 minutes. You can also had a pizza sauce for dipping, which is popular.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups water
I've tried several types of cheese and it really doesn't seem to matter which variety you use. From string cheese (as shown here) to the various shredded varieties, they all add flavor but also tend to melt out some if cooked until well browned.
Baked and cooled rolls can be wrapped in plastic, placed in a zipper-lock bag, and frozen for up to 1 month. To reheat, adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Remove plastic and wrap each roll in foil. Bake directly on oven rack until heated through, 35 to 45 minutes. You can also had a pizza sauce for dipping, which is popular.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup whole milk
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons sugar
6 2/3 cups (33 1/3 ounces) all-purpose flour,
plus extra as needed
1 tablespoon instant or rapid-rise yeast
2 teaspoons salt
24 ounces pepperoni
Sliced or stick*
12 ounces cheese (optional)
Sargento String Cheese 12 count
egg and 1 tablespoon milk for brushing
*Prepare the Pepperoni: Whether you are are using the slices or the sticks, you will want to remove some of the oil from the pepperoni. To do this, place the cut sticks or slices in a microwave safe bowl and microwave on high for 1-2 minute, stirring halfway through for sliced pepperoni; 3 minutes for sticks. Remove the pepperoni to a double thick paper towel using tongs and blot the top with more paper towels to absorb the oil. Let cool. Reserve the pepperoni oil. When cool, toss with a tablespoon of flour.
If using the pepperoni sticks for the classic rendition, purchase 4 (7- to 8-ounce) sticks pepperoni, 8 inches long each. Cut pepperoni sticks in half crosswise, then cut each half in half lengthwise. Slice each quarter lengthwise into four 4-inch wedges. (You should have 64 match-stick sized pieces.) Roll one stick of the pepperoni into the dough, then add another, roll again and add the third, so all three match-stick sized pepperoni pieces are wrapped in dough. Omit the cheese. Without cheese there is no need to close the ends.
Instructions
Make the Dough: Combine water, milk, and sugar in 4-cup liquid measuring cup. Microwave until temperature registers 110 degrees, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in reserved pepperoni oil.
Using stand mixer fitted with dough hook, mix flour, yeast, and salt on low speed until combined, about 30 seconds. With mixer running, slowly add water mixture until incorporated. Increase speed to medium and mix until dough is shiny and smooth and pulls away from sides of bowl, about 8 minutes. (If dough appears wet, add additional flour 1 tablespoon at a time.) Turn dough onto lightly floured counter and knead briefly to form cohesive ball. Transfer dough to reserved bowl and turn to coat with residual pepperoni oil in bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place until doubled in size, 50 to 60 minutes. Transfer dough to lightly floured work surface.
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons sugar
6 2/3 cups (33 1/3 ounces) all-purpose flour,
plus extra as needed
1 tablespoon instant or rapid-rise yeast
2 teaspoons salt
24 ounces pepperoni
Sliced or stick*
12 ounces cheese (optional)
Sargento String Cheese 12 count
egg and 1 tablespoon milk for brushing
*Prepare the Pepperoni: Whether you are are using the slices or the sticks, you will want to remove some of the oil from the pepperoni. To do this, place the cut sticks or slices in a microwave safe bowl and microwave on high for 1-2 minute, stirring halfway through for sliced pepperoni; 3 minutes for sticks. Remove the pepperoni to a double thick paper towel using tongs and blot the top with more paper towels to absorb the oil. Let cool. Reserve the pepperoni oil. When cool, toss with a tablespoon of flour.
If using the pepperoni sticks for the classic rendition, purchase 4 (7- to 8-ounce) sticks pepperoni, 8 inches long each. Cut pepperoni sticks in half crosswise, then cut each half in half lengthwise. Slice each quarter lengthwise into four 4-inch wedges. (You should have 64 match-stick sized pieces.) Roll one stick of the pepperoni into the dough, then add another, roll again and add the third, so all three match-stick sized pepperoni pieces are wrapped in dough. Omit the cheese. Without cheese there is no need to close the ends.
Instructions
Make the Dough: Combine water, milk, and sugar in 4-cup liquid measuring cup. Microwave until temperature registers 110 degrees, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in reserved pepperoni oil.
Using stand mixer fitted with dough hook, mix flour, yeast, and salt on low speed until combined, about 30 seconds. With mixer running, slowly add water mixture until incorporated. Increase speed to medium and mix until dough is shiny and smooth and pulls away from sides of bowl, about 8 minutes. (If dough appears wet, add additional flour 1 tablespoon at a time.) Turn dough onto lightly floured counter and knead briefly to form cohesive ball. Transfer dough to reserved bowl and turn to coat with residual pepperoni oil in bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place until doubled in size, 50 to 60 minutes. Transfer dough to lightly floured work surface.
Assemble: Divide the dough ball in half. Form each half into a rectangle with your hands. Cut each rectangle into half again horizontally, then cut each into five roughly equal sized pieces as shown. You will have 20 pieces in all (4 x 5). Cover with a clean towel. If pieces are not quite equal, then pinch a piece of the dough from a large portion and add to a small portion.
Roll one piece of dough into a square. Add 4 slices of pepperoni plus 4 more on top of that for a double layer. (*see pepperoni note if using sticks.) Cut a a piece of string cheese in half, and then in half lengthwise or sprinkle shredded cheese to cover the pepperoni. Fold in the ends and turn the bottom flap of dough up and over the pepperoni and roll over. Using your finger dipped in water, coat the edge of the seam and press together to seal. Place a parchment lined baking sheet and cover with a clean towel. Make the 19 remaining rolls using this same technique. Remove towel and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise until doubled in size, 50 to 60 minutes. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees.
Bake: Brush rolls with egg mixture and sprinkle with sesame seeds or kosher salt and Italian seasonings. Bake until golden brown, 25 minutes. Transfer to wire rack and let cool for at least 15 minutes. Serve.
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