Pepperoni Pizza pull apart bread

Pull apart bread is so fun to eat; no need for any cutlery; you just get your family or friends together and peel away.

You will need:

Dough:

2 tsp sugar

1 tsp salt

2 1/4 tsp instant yeast (1 envelope)

1/3 cup whole milk

6 tbsp unsalted butter

1/4 cup water

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1/2 cup pizza or marinara sauce

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup sliced pepperoni

2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

Any other toppings (sweet peppers, onions, mushrooms) sliced

Method

In a stand mixer, stir together 2 cups of the flour with the sugar, salt and yeast. Set aside. In a small saucepan, combine the milk and 6 tbsp butter over low heat until melted. Remove the saucepan from the stove and stir in the water. Pour the milk mixture over the dry ingredients, using a spatula to fold them together just until combined. Attach the dough hook to your stand mixer and knead the dough on low speed until fully incorporated for about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, kneading in between each addition, so that the eggs are fully incorporated. Stop the mixer and add 1/2 cup of the remaining flour, kneading it on low speed until the dough is smooth, about 2 minutes. Add 3 more tbsp flour and knead just until the dough is soft, but still slightly sticky.

Lightly flour your work surface, and then turn the dough out onto the surface, kneading it 5 or 6 times, just until it comes together into a ball. If you do not have a mixer, combine the yeast and warm water in a cup and let sit to raise. Mix the flour, sugar and salt. Make a well in the middle and combine the liquids (including yeast mixture and lightly mixed eggs). Knead the dough until the same consistency is reached.

Lightly grease a large bowl. Place the dough in the bowl and secure it tightly with plastic wrap. Allow the dough to raise in a warm, dry place for one hour, or until it doubles in size. Gently deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface. Roll it into a rectangle measuring roughly 20”x 11”. Brush the dough with the sauce, sprinkle it with the cheese and top it with the pepperoni. Trim the edges, discarding any scraps, to make straight sides along the rectangle. Cut the rectangle (width-wise) into 5 equal strips. Stack the strips atop one another and then cut the strips into 4 equal parts to make a total of 20 squares. Lightly butter a 9”x 5” loaf pan. Stack the squares against each other, cut-sides down. Lightly cover the pan with plastic wrap and let it raise for 30 minutes, or until it doubles in size. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Stir together the melted butter and minced garlic. Place the loaf pan on a baking sheet and bake it for 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven, brush the top of the loaf with the garlic butter, and then return it to the oven to continue baking for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. Remove the pan from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes before turning the loaf out onto a serving plate.