Pepperoni Recipes

PEPPERONI

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients, mixing until thoroughly blended.
• Divide in half into slender rolls about 1 1/3 inch in diameter.
• Wrap in plastic or foil.
• Refrigerate overnight.
• Unwrap and bake on broiler pan at 200 F for 4 hours.
• Store wrapped in the refrigerator.

HOMEMADE PEPPERONI

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Separately grind pork and beef through the coarse disk.
• Mix meats together with salt, sugar, cayenne, paprika, anise seed, garlic, red wine, ascorbic acid, and saltpeter in a large bowl.
• Spread mixture out on a large pan, cover loosely with waxed paper, and cure in refrigerator for 24 hours.
• Start with about 4 feet of casing. It's better to begin with too much than too little because any extra can be repacked in salt and used later.
• Rinse casing under cool running water to remove any salt stuck to it.
• Place casing in a bowl of cool water and let soak for about 30 minutes.
• After soaking, rinse casing under cool running water. Slip 1 end of the casing over faucet nozzle. Hold casing firmly on nozzle, and turn on cold water, gently at first, and then more forcefully. This will flush out any salt in the casing and pinpoint any breaks. Should you find a break, simply snip out a small section of casing.
• Place casing in a bowl of water and add white vinegar; a tablespoon of vinegar per cup of water is sufficient. The vinegar softens casing and makes it more transparent, which makes pepperoni look better. Leave casing in water-vinegar solution until ready to use. Rinse well and drain before stuffing.
• Stuff sausage into casings and twist off into 10-inch links.
• Using cotton twine, tie 2 separate knots between every other link, creating pairs of links. Cut between the double knots. ​
• Tie a string to the center of each pair to hang sausages. Hang pepperoni to dry in a space that is 50 F to 55 F with 75 to 80 percent humidity for six to eight weeks. Once dried, the pepperoni will keep, wrapped, in the refrigerator for several months.

PEPPERONI CHICKEN

Steps:

• Use a sharp knife to slice both chicken breasts in half through the middle, resulting in 4 thinner chicken cutlets. Season with salt and pepper.
• Heat a heavy skillet over medium to medium-high heat and add the butter and olive oil. Cook the chicken until it has nice color on the outside and is cooked through, about 2 1/2 minutes per side. Remove the chicken to a plate.
• Pour the marinara sauce into the skillet and cook, stirring, to heat through. Nestle the chicken cutlets in the sauce, then arrange some pepperoni slices over the top of each one. Lay some cubed mozzarella on top, then cover the skillet with a lid and cook until the cheese is melted, 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle with the parsley.
• Serve immediately with a side salad or over pasta, with marinara spooned over the top.

PEPPERONI JAM

Steps:

• Place the pepperoni in a medium heavy-bottomed skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat begins to render and the pepperoni begins to crisp, about 5 minutes. Strain the pepperoni and reserve 2 tablespoons of the rendered fat in the skillet.
• Add the onions to the skillet and sauté, stirring often, over high heat until translucent, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the cherry peppers, roasted red peppers and pepperoni and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes until everything is incorporated.
• Stir in the vinegar, brown sugar and oregano and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring frequently, until the mixture is dark, caramelized and syrupy, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 weeks. Use as a topping on your favorite grilled cheese or pizza. It's also great on hot dogs and cheese plates.

HOMEMADE SPICY PEPPERONI

Steps:

• Combine seasonings and meat and mix thoroughly, using hands; cover and refrigerate for 48-72 hours.
• Form meat into two long logs or rolls. Place a rack (or pan/sheet with drainage) on a cookie sheet and put the logs onto rack. Bake at 200 degrees for 8 hours, rotating logs every 2 hours.
• Logs will be a bright pink when they are finished, and should be fairly dry and firm. Wipe off excess grease and allow meat to cool. Chill and then slice thinly. Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks or freeze for longer storage.

PEPPERONI PASTA WITH LEMON AND GARLIC

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook, according to package directions, until about 2 minutes shy of al dente so that the pasta can finish cooking in the sauce. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
• While the pasta is cooking, in a large skillet or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium. Add pepperoni and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisped and brown, 3 to 4 minutes.
• If the pan looks dry, drizzle in a little more oil. Add garlic, fennel seeds, red-pepper flakes (if using) and a large pinch of salt, and cook until garlic is lightly golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook until it darkens, about 1 minute.
• Add the drained pasta, lemon zest and 3/4 cup of the reserved pasta water to the skillet. Stir until the pasta is al dente and well coated with the sauce. Add more pasta water, if needed, until the sauce is glossy and the pasta is cooked to taste.
• Cut the zested lemon in half and squeeze some juice into the pasta. Stir in herbs and taste, adding more lemon juice and salt, if needed. Cut the remaining half lemon into wedges and serve it alongside the pasta, which should be garnished with more herbs and a drizzle of oil, and sprinkled with Parmesan, if you like.

PEPPERONI PASTA

Steps:

• In a large skillet, cook the beef, onion and green pepper over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Drain. Add the spaghetti sauce, mushrooms and pepperoni. , In a greased 13x9-in. baking dish, layer with half the pasta and meat mixtures. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup each mozzarella and provolone cheeses. Repeat layers. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. , Bake, uncovered, at 400° for 30-35 minutes or until heated through. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving.