Pepperoni pizza toppings stuffed inside of soft, pillowy sourdough rolls, and brushed with the most delicious herby garlic butter. These make a really fun lunch or dinner served with a simple salad, and are also always a hit as an appetizer.This will serve 4 people as a meal, or 8 people as an appetizer.
3tablespoonsunsalted butter,melted and slightly cooled
380grams flour
8gramssalt
For the Filling
1 ½cupsshredded mozarella cheese
2ouncespepperoni, chopped (about ½ cup chopped pepperoni)
For the Garlic Herb Butter
2tablespoonsunsalted butter,melted
½teaspoonItalian seasoning
½teaspoongarlic powder
¼teaspoonsalt
For serving: pizza sauce, crushed red pepper flakes, fresh basil(optional)
Directions
Make the Dough
Combine the starter, sugar, water, and melted butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Add the flour and salt and mix until combined. Once it's well combined, continue kneading for 8-10 minutes on LOW speed. Shape into a ball, place in an oiled bowl, and cover. Let rise at room temperature until doubled in size - about 6-8 hours.
Shape, Stuff + Second Rise
Combine the cheese and pepperoni in a medium bowl.Turn the risen dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently press into a disc and cut into 20-24 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a ball, then press your thumb into the ball to make a crater. Stuff it with about 2 teaspoons of filling, then pinch the edges together to seal. Place the ball seam side-down in a 10-inch cast iron skillet (see note). Repeat with all the dough pieces. You will have some extra cheese + pepperoni mixture left when you're done - you'll use this on the top of the rolls so cover it and pop it in the fridge for now!Cover the rolls with plastic wrap and allow to rise for another 45 minutes-1 hour, until puffed up.
Bake + Garlic Butter
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake the rolls on the lower third of the oven for 20 minutes. Then remove, sprinkle with the remaining cheese + pepperoni mixture, and return to the top rack of the oven. Bake for an additional 12-15 minutes, until cooked through and lightly browned.While the rolls bake, combine the butter, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and salt in a small bowl. Brush over the rolls when they come out of the oven. Serve warm with pizza sauce, crushed red pepper flakes, and fresh basil.
Notes
If you have a well-seasoned cast iron skillet, it will not need to be greased. Alternatively, you can use a 10-inch pie pan, an 11x7 baking dish, or a jelly roll pan - all of these will need to be lightly greased or buttered before using.