When doing a little research on its origins, I discovered that there seems to be conflicting regional claim on pepperoni rolls or pepperoni bread as it’s also called. Did these handheld pizza rolls originate in West Virginia or can Pittsburgh/Western PA take the credit? Here’s what I know:
My mom and dad are both from two small towns outside of Pittsburgh in western Pennsylvania, not far from the West Virginia state line. My grandma Josie was a from-scratch pizza and sauces expert, and I can just picture her packing up pepperoni pizza rolls for my steel-working grandpap as he headed out the door.
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For the rival perspective, I have a dear friend from West Virginia who always heard that pepperoni rolls were created by Italian-American wives of WV coal miners who wanted their spouses to enjoy a hearty meal that was easy to eat.
Regardless, my recipe for pepperoni rolls is dedicated to my hard-working Italian-American ancestors who learned how to roll with life as it came.
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Simple pepperoni roll ingredients
The star ingredient is the pepperoni and whatever your favorite is will work.
For the pizza dough, my simple homemade pizza dough recipe works beautifully. Store-bought is always an option!
And pepperoni rolls are especially good dipped in my favorite San Marzano tomato sauce.
Pepperoni rolls: step-by-step
The recipe and it’s execution are super simple in theory, Lay out the ingredients in an assembly line and you can whip up several of these pepperoni pizza rolls in under 30 minutes.
Recipe notes
- Don’t go overboard on the cheese to the point of where it oozes out of the roll.
- Don’t roll the dough too thin or it will tear and create holes for the cheese to come out.
- For optimal crispiness, bake on a half sheet pan.
- Bake on parchment paper for easy clean up.
- For some heat, sprinkle crushed red pepper on top of the cheese before rolling. You can also use spicy pepperoni.
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Cheesy Pepperoni Rolls with Pizza Dough
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Ingredients
- 1 lb pizza dough, homemade pizza dough (see ingredients below and instructions in link) or store bought
For pizza dough if making homemade
- 3 ½ cups “00” flour
- 2 T olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 ¼ teaspoons yeast
For the pepperoni rolls
- 6 oz package of pepperoni
- 8 oz fontina cheese, sliced
- ½ lb sharp provolone, sliced from the deli counter if available
- 1 teaspoons oregano, divided; plus more for topping
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder, divided; plus more for topping
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon water
Garnish
- 2 Tablespoons parmesan cheese
- Italian seasoning
- recipe of marinara dipping sauce
Instructions
- If making homemade pizza dough, follow recipe directions and then proceed. If using store-bought, then allow to rest at room temperature for about 20-30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 425°. Cut pizza dough into 8 balls (2 oz each). Roll each ball into approximately 6”x6” square.
- Starting with fontina cheese. layer 1 oz of it and a couple of slices of provolone both down the middle of the dough, leaving a ½" border on the edge. Sprinkle over ⅛ teaspoon each of the oregano and garlic powder. Top with about 8-10 slices of pepperoni.
- Pick a side and roll the dough around the cheese and pepperoni tucking the filling as needed. When you reach the end, pinch the dough closed. Place the pepperoni roll seam side down on a parchment covered sheet pan.
- In a small bowl, whisk the egg and water together and use a pastry brush to brush over the egg wash over the tops of the rolls. Sprinkle over generous amounts of parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning. Bake for about 15 minutes until golden and crispy. Some cheese might ooze out the side and that's so good!
