Sourdough Pepperoni Roll
A four ingredient fresh milled sourdough pizza dough with olive oil, garlic, basil, pepperoni + mozzarella
When we were first married, Steven took me to a small local bakery he frequented in high school. One of his favorite offerings were something called a pepperoni roll. This is not a food item I grew up with on the west coast, but it reminded me a bit of the pizza bread I used to make as a kid (pizza toppings broiled on a french baguette.) As the years rolled by, we occasionally took our kids for a pepperoni roll, and eventually learned to make our own version at home. I did a little digging into the history of this food and discovered that it originated from the coal mines of West Virginia in the 1920’s. The men were already eating pepperoni sticks and bread during their long hours underground, and an Italian immigrant named Giuseppe put the two together, creating the pepperoni roll.
To elevate the nutritional profile of this traditionally highly processed food item, the dough is made with fresh milled flour and sourdough starter. For the pepperoni, I have tried several brands and the one I used in the video below is a family favorite. Finding a quality butcher that makes pepperoni with local forest raised pork would be the ultimate. As for the cheese, I used a shredded mozzarella.
This recipe makes a fun and easy lunch, or is a great Friday night pizza alternative, and it passed the taste test with all my teens and their friends, which is a big win. I hope you enjoy!
Fresh Milled Sourdough Pepperoni Roll
Makes one large roll - about 8 servings
TOOLS
Mixing Bowl
Rolling Pin
Cookie sheet with liner / parchment paper
INGREDIENTS
375 g fresh milled hard white wheat flour
55 g sourdough starter - can be discard
250 g room temp water
8 g salt
1 tsp olive oil for the bowl
Filling2 Tbsp olive oil
2 cloves pressed garlic
1-2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
Pepperoni
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Optional: marinara sauce or ranch, for dipping
METHOD
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine flour, water, sourdough starter, and salt and mix with the dough hook attachment on low speed for 8-10 minutes. Oil bowl with 1 tsp olive oil and let dough sit in bowl, covered, about 6 hours. Move to refrigerator for 12 hours or overnight, or proceed with recipe.
Turn dough out onto oiled or lightly floured countertop and roll with rolling pin into 12”x16” rectangle. Spread fresh pressed garlic, chopped basil and olive oil on dough. Layer mozzarella cheese and pepperoni, and roll up tightly, like a cinnamon roll. Pinch end seams and roll under. Place pepperoni roll on a lined baking sheet and cover with a kitchen towel. Let proof for 2 hours.
Preheat Oven to 375º. Bake on center rack for 40-45 minutes, until dough is cooked through in the center. Cheese should be bubbling and the top of the roll will be golden. Let rest 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving. Enjoy! :)
