Pepperoni Rolls

A West Virginian walks into a hardware store and asks for a chain saw that will cut 6 trees in one hour. The salesman recommends the top of the line model. The West Virginian is suitably impressed, and buys it. The next day he brings it back, complaining that it would only cut down 1 tree and it took ALL DAY! The salesman takes the chain saw, starts it up to see what's wrong, and the West Virginian says, "What's that noise?"

It’s funny till you remember Papa and chain saws then you have to slow your pulse down…..

That chain saw never had a chance…

Or that one..

That is for a whole other blog post..

Today we are making Pepperoni rolls… it wasn't till this year did I knew that it was West Virginia specialty ……

The pepperoni roll is an unexpected little West Virginia specialty that was reportedly invented in Fairmont in 1927, and was often used as a miner's lunch in early days. It's a soft bread roll with pepperoni baked inside, yielding a moist and spicy snack; variations include slices versus strips of pepperoni, the inclusion of cheese (pepper jack, mozzarella or provolone), tomato sauce and banana peppers. They're popular throughout the state, ubiquitous in convenience stores, and can be found from small family bakeries up through local eateries.

My DH and kids thought I was losing my mind when I first made rolls for them…

Now I need to double my recipe..

Jerks.

Now let me start off by saying that you can use what ever dough you want.. I personally love this recipe because it makes a soft roll and when your eating these cold you need something that will hold up past 24 hours after you make them. It is also my “hamburger bun” recipe I like to have these around if I am making egg sandwiches for DH or anything that needs a sturdy yet soft bun to hold up..

In bowl add water..

Sugar

Egg

Yeast

Flour

Salt and butter

Mix well

You want to knead it till it is smooth and stretchy about 7 or 8 minutes..

Let it rise until doubled..

Now here is where the arguments start… some people like pepperoni slices.. some like sticks.. and yes… there is a difference in taste.. I think it is the coating they use on the slices to keep them from sticking together that adds a flavoring I don’t care for.. I buy a big roll of pepperoni and slice it how I want

Divide my dough into 16 little lumps.. and the same amount in pepperoni…

Flatten ball out like so..

Add a piece of pepperoni

Flip over side…

Other side..

Bottom

And then finally top lay seam side down on a greased pan.. ( ignore the dangerous knife in the back ground… laying the wrong side up)

Continue with the rest of the dough and pepperoni and then let raise until doubled in size

Yay!! Almost done!

OooOOoOOOo let cool for a few minutes… they are the best fresh out of oven but I am a food snob so don’t take my word for it…

Print Recipe

Recipe

· 3/4 to 1 cup lukewarm water

· 2 tablespoons butter

· 1 large egg

· 3 1/2 cups Flour

· 1/4 cup sugar

· 1 1/4 teaspoons salt

· 1 tablespoon instant yeast

· *For best results (a smooth, slightly soft dough), use the smaller amount of water in summer (or in a humid environment), the greater amount in winter (or in a dry climate); and something in between the rest of the time.

1) Mix and knead all of the dough ingredients — by hand, mixer, or bread machine — to make a soft, smooth dough.

2) Cover the dough, and let it rise for 1 to 2 hours, or until it's nearly doubled in bulk.

3) Gently deflate the dough, and divide it into equal pieces. Shape each piece into a round ball; flatten to about 3" across. If at this point you can fill with pepperoni, sealing well. Place the buns on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet, cover, and let rise for about an hour, until noticeably puffy.

4) Brush the buns with about half of the melted butter.

5) Bake the buns in a preheated 375°F oven for 15 to 18 minutes, until golden. Remove them from the oven, and brush with the remaining melted butter. This will give the buns a satiny, buttery crust.