Served with a nice salad, the pepperoni roll can serve as the main course for a family meal; or, cut into smaller segments, it can make a nice side contribution to a potluck dinner or a party. I've taken it to a number of places where food was expected, and it's always been a hit.
If the recipe looks familiar, it should. It is essentially a variation on sourdough pizza.
2 tbsp. butter or oil
1 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. sugar
1 c. sponge
1 tsp. rosemary (optional)
2¼ c. flour
1 tbsp. oil
½ c. chopped onion
½ c. diced bell pepper
1 c. shredded mozzerella cheese
¼ tsp. black pepper
½ tsp. thyme
½ tsp. oregano
½ tsp. basil
pepperoniSoften butter, before adding next four ingredients. Stir in the flour, ¾ cup at a time, kneading in the last ¾ cup by hand. Add additional moisture as needed. Knead for about ten minutes, until the dough is stiff. Set in a warm place for the dough to double in size, about one hour.
After the dough has risen, punch it down and spread upon a jelly roll pan. As the dough sits for 10 minutes, sautee onion and bell pepper in oil until the onions are clear. Remove from heat.
Scatter mozzerella cheese over the dough,* leaving a half-inch of dough uncovered at the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle with the next four ingredients, then add pepperoni, beginning in the top left corner of the jelly roll pan, and moving left to right, top to bottom, so that the sides of the pepperoni touch one another, until you reach the portion of the dough with no cheese covering it.
Very gently, lift the dough at the edge of the pan farthest from you, and begin rolling it toward you. When the entire sheet of dough has been rolled up, pinch the edges shut to avoid any spills during baking.
Bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes.
* In addition to shredded mozzerella, you also can sprinkle the pepperoni roll with other cheeses, including Parmesan, Romano, Asiago and cheddar cheeses. Go light on all these, as they are strong cheeses and can overwhelm the taste.
* In addition to shredded mozzerella, you also can sprinkle the pepperoni roll with other cheeses, including Parmesan, Romano, Asiago and cheddar cheeses. Go light on all these, as they are strong cheeses and can overwhelm the taste.
Variations
This works just as well with other fillings. I've made such rolls with sausage and mushrooms instead of pepperoni, and so on. As always, follow your own taste buds.
A note about flour: Different bakers prefer different flours. This recipe will work fine with all-purpose flour, but I have found that any of the various bread flours on the market will render a better flavor. If you prefer a multigrain experience, as I do, try making a roll with 1 c. bread flour, 1 c. whole wheat flour, and ¼ c. rye flour.
Got a variant of your own? Let me know.