Pepperoni-Roll Dip Pie with Stuffed Crust

Preparation

Make the crust: Stir the flour, salt, and sugar together in a large bowl with a flat bottom. Add the butter pieces on top of the dry ingredients. Using your fingers, toss the butter in the dry mixture so each cube is coated. Use a pastry blender or your fingers to cut or rub the butter into the mixture until it is in pieces a bit larger than peas (a few larger pieces are okay; be careful not to over-blend). You want to be able to have big butter chunks in your crust: It helps create a flakey effect, as well as adding delicious buttery hits of flavor.

In a separate large measuring cup or small bowl, combine the water, cider vinegar, and ice. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the ice water mixture over the flour mixture; do not add the ice, which is just there to keep your water cold. Using your hands in a circular motion, bring the mixture together until all the liquid is incorporated. Continue adding the ice water mixture, 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time. Carefully mix until the dough comes together in a ball, with some dry bits remaining. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently until it comes into one mass; you don’t want to overwork it.

Shape the dough into a flat disc (if making double the recipe, first separate the dough into two equal portions), wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, preferably overnight before using.

Stuff and bake the crust: Roll out the crust to a 13-inch round. Fit the dough into a greased 10-inch pan so there is at least 2 inches hanging off the edge. Make about 24 cuts all around the overhang, about 1 inch apart. Roll one 1-inch piece of pepperoni up in one of the crust sections, like a pig in a blanket, until you get to the edge of the pie pan. Press down to secure. Work your way around the pie, rolling up a piece of pepperoni in every other crust section. For the overhanging dough in between, roll each section up onto itself and crimp down. Repeat until your crust is stuffed and crimped all the way around. Place in the freezer and freeze until solid, about 30 minutes. Partially blind bake the crust: Line the dough with foil and fill with pie weights. Bake on the center rack of a 375°F oven for 30 minutes. Let cool before removing pie weights and filling the crust.

Make the filling: In a large bowl, mix the cream cheese, ½ cup of the mozzarella, the chopped pepperoni, milk, mayonnaise, and gravy mix until well blended. Put in the fridge until ready to assemble the pie.

Assemble the pie: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Fill the partially baked stuffed crust with the filling. Dot marinara sauce onto the top of the filling, then swirl it into filling with a spoon or table knife. Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup mozzarella on top and place the sliced pepperoni around the edge of the pie, inserting half of the slice into the filling and leaving half to peek out the top.

Bake the pie: Place the pie on a baking sheet and bake on the center rack for 25 minutes, or until the filling is heated through and the cheese is bubbly and melty. Let cool for at least 1 hour. Sprinkle on parsley and red pepper flakes before slicing and serving. Enjoy while blasting John Denver with some of your finest friends on your way home.

Excerpted from 50 PIES, 50 STATES by Stacey Mei Yan Fong. Copyright © 2023 by Stacey Mei Yan Fong. Photography by Alanna Hale. Food styling by Caitlin Haught Brown. Used with permission of Voracious, an imprint of Little, Brown and Company.