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West Virginia Pepperoni Rolls

Source of Recipe

From "Game-Day Favorites" by America's Test Kitchen


Recipe Introduction

"Pepperoni rolls can be greasy and dry with barely enough pepperoni to go around. To fix this, we microwaved the pepperoni to get rid of some of the oil that was puddling in the baked rolls, and we saved some of the oil to soften and season the dough. Microwaving the pepperoni up front meant it would shrink less inside the roll. We settled on a moist, slightly sweet dough that paired well with the pepperoni. We used four 4-inch pieces of pepperoni in each roll so there was plenty in every bite. Be sure to reserve the pepperoni oil after microwaving the pepperoni, as it gives the dough flavor."

List of Ingredients

◦ 4 (7- to 8-ounce) sticks pepperoni, 8 inches long
◦ 1 � cups water
◦ 1 cup whole milk
◦ 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons sugar
◦ 6 ⅔ cups (33 ⅓ ounces) plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, plus extra as needed
◦ 1 tablespoon instant or rapid-rise yeast
◦ 2 teaspoons salt
◦ 1 large egg, lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon water
◦ 4 teaspoons sesame seeds


Recipe

Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut pepperoni sticks in half crosswise, then cut each half in half lengthwise. Slice each quarter lengthwise into four 4-inch-long wedges. (You should have 64 wedges.) Microwave pepperoni in large bowl until fat is rendered, about 3 minutes. Using tongs, transfer pepperoni to paper towel-lined plate; reserve 3 tablespoons pepperoni oil. Do not wash bowl.

Combine water, milk, and sugar in 4-cup liquid measuring cup. Microwave until liquid registers 110 degrees, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in reserved pepperoni oil.

Using stand mixer fitted with dough hook, mix 6 ⅔ cups 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 knead until dough is shiny and smooth and pulls away from sides of bowl, about 8 minutes. (If dough appears wet, add extra flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, as needed.) 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 minutes to 1 hour.

Transfer dough to lightly floured counter and divide into 16 equal (3 �-ounce) pieces. Working with one piece at a time (keep remaining pieces covered with plastic), form dough into balls, cover with plastic, and let rest for 5 minutes.

Toss pepperoni wedges with remaining 1 tablespoon flour to coat. Working with one dough ball at a time, use your hands to press ball into 6 by 4-inch rectangle. Starting along short side of rectangle, lay 4 pepperoni wedges side by side, � inch apart, and roll into tight cylinder, pinching seam to seal. Leave ends of rolls open. Arrange rolls seam side down on prepared sheet, end to end, � inch apart, and four per row. Cover with plastic and let rise until doubled in size, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Brush rolls with egg mixture and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake until golden brown, 24 to 28 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking. Transfer sheet to wire rack and let rolls cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Makes 16 rolls






❧ To Make Ahead:
Baked and cooled rolls can be wrapped in plastic wrap, placed in 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 aluminum foil. Bake directly on oven rack until heated through, 35 to 45 minutes.