Pepperoni Bread

Happy Monday! Here is a new recipe to start the week out on a high note.

This recipe is one that I hadn't made before but had similar experiments in the past. Behold my Pepperoni Bread.

So much of cooking is testing different ratios of ingredients and various cooking styles. This project was no different. I definitely learned a lot from this one. Don't get me wrong - I genuinely enjoyed it, but I will point out the lessons I learned as we go through. For starters, this recipe is very straight forward and easy. Feel free to tweak my pepperoni and mozzarella amounts as these are based solely on preference more than an exact science. I used 4 oz of pepperoni and 8 oz of mozzarella because I'm a cheese fanatic but you can use any combination that you find appealing without any adverse effect on the final product.

Prep Time: 20 Minutes

Cook Time: 20-25 Minutes (depending on your oven - mine was about 20 but my oven cooks hotter than most)

1 Package of Bread Dough - I used Pillsbury rolled sheets which where ideal in time saving because they were perfect size. However, this was my first lession - this dough was a bit more buttery than I would have liked for a pepperoni bread so feel free to experiment on this front.

4 oz Sliced Pepperoni

8 oz Part Skin Mozzarella (Grated)

1 Egg (Whisked) mixed with 1 tbsp Water for Egg Wash - this will be brushed on later

Optional: Marinara Sauce for Dunking

1. Take rolled dough (mine was about 8 in by 12 in) and place on flat surface - I used my countertop with a sheet of parchment paper placed on it to prevent sticking.

2. Spread the cheese evenly across the top of the dough covering all but a small outline of the dough around the ends so that you can easily pinch the dough together later.

3. Next, layer the pepperoni on top of the cheese layer. A good method is to just place lines of pepperoni across the top and continue until you reach the end.

4. Next, you are going to carefully fold over and pinch the dough together on all sides to ensure a strong seal. I learned lesson 2 and 3 here... Lesson 2 was simple - be sure to pinch the dough fully closed on all sides. I was a bit careless with a few areas and the pepperoni and mozzarella spilled out a bit while baking. Lesson 3 was the technique behind the fold over - be sure to fold over gently and carefully. I seemed to rush the fold a bit and the pepperoni didn't remain evenly distributed. Just take your time and this step will be easy.

5. Transfer the pepperoni bread carefully to a baking sheet. I covered my baking sheet with a layer of foil for easy cleanup and sprayed a light layer of Pam cooking spray.

6. Lastly, take the egg wash mixture you made earlier and brush it on the top of the bread to evenly and fully coat the top.

7. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes checking frequently.

8. Pull out and allow a few moments to cool before digging in!

To sum it up, this recipe was fun, easy, and definitely taught me some great tips to share with you. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I did. Goodnight to all!