If you’re from West Virginia, you know how proud we are of our pepperoni rolls. I’ll share a little bit about the history of these savory treats – it all started in the coal mines. Then, you can make your own by following myWest Virginia pepperoni rolls recipe – it’s all homemade and actually pretty simple.
Pin this recipe so you can come back and make them again and again!
West Virginia Pepperoni Rolls
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As I share the in-process photos for how to make pepperoni rolls from scratch, I’ll also share a little backstory about where they came from.
First, you can see from the previous photo, there aren’t very many ingredients. These are simple to make and a fun way to create memories with your kids.
History Of Pepperoni Rolls
Pepperoni rolls are said to have originated in the early 20th century, when coal miners needed portable food that wouldn’t spoil. Rolls filled with pepperonis became one of their most-consumed lunches. Today, it’s a West Virginia tradition to bake pepperoni rolls for your family.
No, the coal miners in the 1920s and 30s didn’t have bread machines. That is where we are cheating a little bit. But it saves me so much time and sanity, so I give myself the break.
It is said that the first pepperoni roll to be sold commercially was sold byGiuseppe “Joseph” Argiro at the Country Club Bakery in Fairmont, West Virginia in 1927. After they started to be sold commercially, they became a huge hit across the state, with West Virginians proudly claiming them as their own.
How To Make WV Pepperoni Rolls
You can either make your dough by hand or use a bread machine. You can even buy frozen rolls and use those! If you are looking for a bread machine, I recommend the Hamilton Beach bread machine. It’s a low price and high quality.
Once you have your dough, the rest of the process is simple. Portion out small sections of dough. Then, place a few pieces of pepperoni on each roll.
Whether you put cheese in your roll is up to you. There is actually debate among West Virginians about whether cheese belongs in an authentic pepperoni roll. Some say the coal miners at just rolls and pepperoni. You’ll find it sold both ways in bakeries and shops in West Virginia.
Honestly, I like the cheese, When it cooks, it’s so gooey and melty.
Once you rolled up all your pepperoni rolls, they are ready to bake! Just bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes – until they are golden brown.
They make a fantastic lunch – make them for your kids! Some love them dipped in marinara sauce, others like them plain. Try out both ways and decided how you like them best. As you eat them, remember the hard-working coal miners that spent years in the dark mines, breathing in dust, so that we could have electricity.
Ready for the recipe?
Pepperoni Rolls Recipe
West Virginia Pepperoni Rolls
2018-03-11 05:47:59
Serves 4
An easy pepperoni rolls recipe that uses a bread machine. These pepperoni rolls have cheese and date back to the West Virginia coal miners.
Pepperoni rolls are elegantly simple, but uniquely West Virginian: country roll dough filled with sticks or slices of pepperoni. The treat has deep roots in the coal industry (much like our state itself.) You can trace it back to North-Central West Virginia, when Italian immigrants came to work in the coal mines.
Essentially, no.There are no laws or regulations that prohibit retail stores from selling pepperoni rolls. In fact, there are specific rules and regulations that mention pepperoni rolls by name to exclude them from certain regulations.
Dip your fingertips into some water and tap around the edges. This will help keep them sealed. Roll the dough and pepperoni so the pepperoni runs the length of the pepperoni roll. Place them seam-side down on a lightly greased baking sheet.
The pepperoni roll was first sold by Giuseppe "Joseph" Argiro at the Country Club Bakery in Fairmont, West Virginia, in 1927. The rolls originated as a lunch option for the coal miners of north-central West Virginia in the first half of the 20th century.
In 1927, Giuseppe “Joseph” Argiro first offered the pepperoni roll as a lunch for local coal miners. He eventually started to sell them at the Country Club Bakery in Fairmont, West Virginia. These rolls were a perfect meal for the miners because they had protein and fat to keep them energized.
GHENT, WV (WVNS)– The pepperoni roll is a massive staple in West Virginia culture, and their origins definitely have a bit of Mountain State love behind them. This classic West Virginia food item can trace its origins back the Italian immigrants who worked in the coal mines in North-Central West Virginia.
It seems most likely that this was the inspiration behind rumors that it was banned, or that it still is in some states. However this simply isn't true -- in fact, Papa John's introduced a version of pepperoni rolls to their menus nationally back in 2016.
The pepperoni roll is considered a cornerstone of culture in North Central West Virginia; an area with a large Italian population. Italian immigrant and coal miner, Giuseppe Argiro, created the beloved dish in 1927 by taking an already popular snack of pepperoni sticks and bread loaves one step further.
Let the customers know you are selling pepperoni rolls for your group, and explain the price of $2 per roll, or a case of 13 rolls for $26. Ask them to let you know, in the comments, how many rolls they would like (Promote Cases).
They were first made as a portable lunch for coal miners. The rolls didn't need refrigeration and could be carried with them underground. You'd have to work hard to not find pepperoni rolls when you're in West Virginia.
Putting them in the refrigerator or freezer for a few days is fine, but don't let them sit out for more than two hours. This will cause the filling to become soggy and the pizza roll to become soggy. However, if you need to use your pizza rolls for a few days, you should thaw them completely before reheating them.
Some like to roll up pepperoni inside of canned crescent roll dough before baking and call that a pepperoni roll. Those people are not to be trusted and I hate all they stand for. Others use pizza dough. This might make a good pepperoni roll alternative, but that is a stromboli, not a pepperoni roll.
Pepperoni is America's favorite pizza topping! Pepperoni and sausage meats are made from hogs. The top three hog producing states are Iowa, North Carolina and Minnesota.
Bread stuffed with pepperoni and cheese is a West Virginia classic—originally devised as a portable meal for area coal miners. Frozen dinner roll dough makes this recipe easy. Simply flatten out the dough, and top it with pepperoni and mozzarella.
According to wvtourism.com, the pepperoni roll was developed by an Italian baker around the year 1930 as an easy meal for coal miners to carry in their lunch boxes, and it still remains popular today. It is so popular that it is West Virginia's official state food.
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