How do you say,
“I appreciate you”
“Thank you”
“Let’s celebrate”
and “I love you” in West Virginian?
With a bag of freshly baked pepperoni rolls, of course!
This is perhaps the most West Virginian & dietitian recipe I have made. I’ve worked to build on the recipe my Mom uses and make it more my own. More soft, but with a little golden crunch, more buttery, more flavorful – I feel good about what I came up with. Pepperoni roll cheers, from my WV kitchen to yours!
Pepperoni Rolls
Simply made with science and soul from my West Virginia kitchen.
Equipment
- 2 Large bowls
- 1 Small bowl
- 1 Saucepan
- 1 Whisk
- 1 Fork
- Measuring cups and spoons
- 1 Pastry mat
- 1 Pastry brush
- 2 Baking sheets
- Parchment Paper
Ingredients
- 1/4 C warm water
- 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
- 1, .25 oz. package of active dry yeast
- 3.5 C all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 C granulated sugar
- 4 Tbsp butter
- 1 egg
- 3/4 C sour cream
- 1/4 C whole milk
- 1/2 lb. thinly sliced pepperoni I choose Boar's Head sandwich-style, cut thinly
- 2 Tbsp butter
Instructions
- In a small bowl, add 1/2 tsp granulated sugar and entire packet of active dry yeast to warm water (bath temperature). Whisk and let sit for ~5 minutes, until yeast is activated and it looks puffy/bubbly.
- In a large bowl, add flour, salt, and sugar. Whisk and set aside.
- Melt 1/2 stick (4 Tbsp) butter in a saucepan over low heat, then remove from heat to let cool.
- In another large bowl (the largest bowl – this is where all ingredients will get mixed together), beat the egg with a whisk until bubbles appear. Add sour cream and whole milk, whisk together. After butter has cooled to room temperature, add to the bowl. Whisk the wet ingredients all together.
- Add the activated yeast to the wet mixture and whisk. With a fork, slowly add the flour mixture into the wet mixture bowl and combine. Continue adding flour until it gets crumbly, then start mixing with your hands. Adding flour as needed – it shouldn't be sticky. There will likely be some flour leftover in your bowl, and that is ok. The dough should be moist and come together easily, without being sticky.
- Transfer dough to a pastry mat or lightly floured surface and knead the dough until a smoother ball is formed, or about 2 minutes. Don't overwork the dough or it will get tough – the purpose of kneading is to help develop the gluten and give the bread that cushiony feel. Place in a lightly oiled bowl (I spray cooking spray), cover with a light towel, then place in a warmer area for 1.5-2 hours to rise.
- After dough has risen (doubled in size), preheat oven to 350F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Grab the pepperoni out of the fridge. Place dough on pastry mat and press it down (it should have a cushiony feel). Divide dough into 16 equal pieces.
- One by one, take each piece of dough and press into a square (about 4"). Add 3 pieces of pepperoni and roll it up, pinching down on the back to "seal" the roll and help keep shape in the oven. Place 8 rolls on each baking sheet.
- Melt 2 Tbsp. butter in small saucepan. Brush melted butter onto each roll, then sprinkle the top with kosher salt. Place in oven and bake for 14-16 minutes.
- Good for 3-4 days, stored in air-tight container and at room temperature. If they start to get dry, wrap in damp paper towel and microwave for 15 seconds.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
You are not in the mountains, the mountains are in you.
John Muir