Homemade Pepperoni Pretzels

January 31

Yes, I realize I'm way behind with posting. Is anyone even still checking the blog? Helloooo? Well, hopefully someone is reading this...

Pepperoni Pretzels. This recipe is from Guy Fieri. The pretzels turned out just ok. They were missing something. More cheese? Spiciness? Marinara sauce? It just didn't taste enough like a real pretzel. Like an Auntie Anne's pretzel or a pretzel log from the Amish market. Maybe it was because I halved the recipe. That's tricky to do when you're baking. Any tips on halving an egg? No? Yeahh, I didn't think so!


Here is the list of ingredients I used and my steps. Feel free to use mine or follow the link to the original recipe!

3/4 tablespoon dry fast rising yeast
3/4 water
3/4 tablespoon agave nectar
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella
1/3 cup diced pepperoni
Salt

Mix flour, salt, and yeast in a bowl. Add 1/2 egg and 3/4 cup water. Stir. When it starts to become a lump of dough, mix with your hands. Put on a floured cookie sheet (I don't have a big enough cutting board.) and kneed 10-15 times. Add more flour as needed if the dough is sticky. (It will be. Add more flour.)

On a floured cookie sheet, roll out dough into a 14-by-11-inch rectangle, 1/4 inch thick, with a shorter side facing you. Use your super fancy new rolling pin like I did.

Sprinkle 1/2 cup mozzarella across the middle of the dough.

 

Fold the bottom third of the dough over the cheese, then sprinkle 1/4 cup of mozzarella and 1/3 cup pepperoni over the folded part.

Fold the top third of the dough over the mozzarella and pepperoni. It's like folding a piece of paper to put in an envelope.
 

Reroll the dough into a 14-by-11-inch rectangle. (The most difficult part. Cheese and pepperoni don't like to be rolled flat.) Cut into seven 11-by-2-inch strips.

One at a time, pinch the cut long edges of each strip together and roll into a rope with your hands. Transfer the rope to a greased baking sheet. Grab the ends and bring them toward each other, forming a U shape, then cross the left end over the right end to make a pretzel shape. Cross the left end over the right again to make a twist in the middle.

Beat the remaining 1/2 egg in a bowl. Brush the pretzels with the egg and sprinkle with salt. Bake at 475 until browned, about 13-15 minutes, checking on the pretzels every few minutes to avoid overbaking.

The pretzels were best right out of the oven. They were fine heated up in the microwave the next day. They were definitely missing something, so next time I make pretzels, I might try a different recipe or add some stuff to this one.