Pepperoni Twist Bread

As featured in Holiday 2023 issue of The Applegatarian.

Strewn throughout with pepperoni and cheese and topped with garlicky butter, this loaf makes a delicious pre-game snack. If you don't want to make your own dough, a 1-pound ball of store-bought dough can be substituted.

The Applegatarian, an outlet where employees and advocates of the nation’s leading natural and organic meat brand dish about their favorite recipes, tips, products, partners and more.

Makes 1 Loaf | Total Time: More Than 60 Mins

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup lukewarm water
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 (4-ounce) bag Applegate Naturals® Pepperoni
8 ounces mozzarella, shredded or chopped
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Instructions

Combine the flour, water, and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix well. Let sit for 5 minutes then add the olive oil and salt. Mix well with a dough hook for 5 minutes. Cover and let rise until dough is almost doubled in size, 1 to 2 hours.
Oil a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.
On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough out into a rectangle, about 12 x 15 inches, with the long side facing you. Arrange the pepperoni over the dough in a single layer. Top evenly with the mozzarella and parmesan. Roll the dough up snugly like a jelly roll, pinching the ends together to enclose the filling.
With one hand on each end of the log, gently twist the dough in opposite directions. Holding the twist in place, fold the log in half, so both ends line up. Now give the folded-over log one or two final twist (don't worry if any of the fillings fall out, just tuck it back in). Place it into the oiled pan, cover, and let loaf rise until puffy, about 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 350F. In a small bowl, stir together the melted butter, garlic powder, and italian seasoning.
Brush some of the seasoned butter over the top of the loaf. Bake until puffed and golden brown, 40 to 45 minutes. If bread is getting too browned on top, tent the pan with a piece of aluminum foil.
Remove from the oven and brush with the remaining of the seasoned butter. Let cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing and serving.