Pesto Pizza Rolls

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup warm water
• 2 tsp active dry or instant yeast
• 1/2 Tbsp sugar
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup pesto
• 2 oz. pepperoni
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella
• 1/2 cup pizza sauce

Directions

1. Mix the warm water, yeast, and sugar together until the yeast disappears into the water. Let it stand for about 5 minutes, until a foamy cap shows up on the surface. While that happens, put 1 cup of the flour in a large bowl and stir in the salt.
2. When the yeast mixture is bubbly, stir in the olive oil. Pour it into the bowl with the flour and salt, then mix until you have a thick batter. Add more flour gradually, stirring between additions, until the dough gathers into a ball and gets too sturdy for a spoon.
3. Move the dough to a clean, floured work surface. Knead it for about 5 minutes, working in small pinches of flour as needed. From start to finish, you should be close to 2 cups flour total, with a little wiggle room either way.
4. Return the kneaded dough to the bowl, cover it loosely, and leave it to rise until it has doubled. When it has, start heating the oven to 400ºF.
5. Press the dough to deflate it, then ease it out of the bowl onto a floured surface. With your hands, stretch it into a rough rectangle about 10x16 inches. If you can, skip the rolling pin; it presses the dough down, and you want the rolls to keep some lift.
6. Spread the pesto all the way across the shaped dough, edge to edge. Scatter the pepperoni slices over it, then add half of the cheese.
7. Roll the dough into a log. With a very sharp knife, cut the log into 8 (or more) even pieces. Arrange the rolls in a casserole dish coated with non-stick spray, or oil if you prefer. Choose a dish with enough space for the rolls to grow as they bake. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the rolls, letting a little land along the sides and in the spaces between them.
8. Bake the rolls in the 400ºF oven for about 30 minutes, until they have risen, the tops are golden brown, and the pesto and cheese bubble at the edges. Serve them warm with pizza sauce for dipping.