Pepperoni rolls, the pride of West Virginia

In the 1920s, a coal miner from Calabria, Italy who resettled in West Virginia coal country opened the Country Club Bakery in Fairmont, and introduced the pepperoni roll, a portable meal that miners really dug into. Conor Knighton talks with food writer Candace Nelson about why West Virginians can't get enough of their delicious, utilitarian snack.
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[@Ladyailiken]

As a Charleston born and raised West Virginian, a pepperoni roll is as exactly as it is named a roll with pepperoni in it. Versions now come with cheeses and banana peppers in them but the originals were just the pepperoni inside the roll. I make them myself using the frozen rolls bought at any local grocery store. After following the directions on the bag. I roll each roll out and insert as much pepperoni as liked and make sure the pepperoni is completely in closed inside the roll. Bake at the temperature as instructed on the bag. You may butter the tops with garlic butter for your taste. Enjoy.

[@caseyhafer2550]

You are doing your state proud. Almost Heaven salutes you 🖖🫡

[@ArchaicDemon26]

I am from elkins

[@anthonymrbs]

In grade school we used to get these fresh for lunch once a month. You could immediatelly smell the aroma as soon as they brought them into the school.

[@chillfollins]

as someone who adores pepperoni, I want to experience this magical place.

[@mybluebelly]

I advise you to travel to Italy if you like Pepperoni that much. The rolls you can get in WV.

[@EminencePhront]

@@mybluebellyyou do realize they don’t have pepperoni in Italy, right?

[@mybluebelly]

West Virginia, Italy, google it..@@EminencePhront

[@mr.teashade3567]

I live in southwestern PA and pepperoni rolls are very popular here as well!

[@shannonschultz387]

We love them in Pittsburgh too! But to be fair, WV is only about an hours drive from here.

[@ohioalphornmusicalsawman2474]

Sparkle Markets, based in Boardman, Ohio makes Pepperoni rolls in most of their bakeries.

[@limezillaofficial]

Im from.the nortern county, where weirton is

[@DanzigFan-vq3zf]

PeckedFreshMemes A meme man from where I live

[@Snowy0123]

I'm from Logan WV,moved to Tampa in 2012. I've spread the pepperoni roll gospel to floridians and they love them.nobody had ever heard of them.

[@mgadkins1659]

I grew up in WV. The pepperoni rolls are delicious.

[@jonathon6014]

They make them at my school once a month

[@weasleboi8467]

Me to

[@DwayneAdkins]

Same

[@d0nnap0wers15]

I love

[@CTguy203]

Idk....I just don’t see how they can be that great.

[@borocay8685]

Love them in South West PA

[@BillyBassBen]

My grandparents are from there and I think they took that influence to where are family is now

[@WoodyAllenManiac]

I grew up in Fairmont, home of the pepperoni roll. Thanks for covering this story!

[@sunshinemishasmommy5352]

I still live in Fairmont and I 💗 pepperoni rolls from Country Club bakery..I always thought pepperoni rolls were a part of the magic of WV..no matter where I may travel,WV will always be home 😀😊❤

[@mybluebelly]

@@sunshinemishasmommy5352 Support "the homeless diary" with a free subscription if you have a heart.

[@LanceRomanceF4E]

My Italian grandfather was a WV coal miner. I remember my grandmother making pepperoni rolls for his lunch everyday. Grandad was a WWI veteran with two Purple Hearts and the Silver Star for gallantry. Preston county had a lot of Italian miners and pepperoni rolls were on every table.

[@hoenntrainer3422]

I literally had a dream about the delicious Pepperoni Rolls that they served back in School while growing up in WV. I look up how to make my own and I come to find videos like this, West Virginians all over, eating and loving Pepperoni Rolls. There are still so many things that I don't know about my own State and it's amazing to learn about them all.

[@LezerniWolf]

Pepperoni rolls are around the area. I grew up in Fayette County, PA and we had them all the time.

[@mishaa7263]

we love these in Youngstown too

[@silverlve70]

Never heard of these but, hey, folks are enjoying them so good for them!

[@veriticus]

As a West Virginian, we absolutely adore pepperoni roles.

[@lulusmith2603]

Pepperoni rolls are life!!!

[@gasstationbathroom9661]

This just made me want to go get a pepperoni roll from big loafer 😭

[@buckeyefangirl1976]

They are awesome. If you haven't tried them you need to❤☺ And if you haven't been to our beautiful State you need to do that too❤☺

[@darkknight1938]

Oh, I miss pepperoni rolls. I'm from WV but moved out of state some years back and had no idea that they were a special West Virginia treat.

[@wdh47211]

Something so simple but I bet they are good.

[@sunshinemishasmommy5352]

They are VERY good 😊 I grew up and still live here in WV 👍

[@amybranham2674]

I live in fairmont, wv born n raised I LOVE LOVE PEPPERONI ROLLS WITH CHEESE N OLIVERO PEPPERS N VHEESE

[@alec4672]

As somebody that grew up around the old mining towns of northern Wisconsin, we need this here 😂🤙

[@lochnessamonster1912]

Tomaro’s vs D’Annunzio’s is where WVians draw their battle line.

[@kahleesaangelofthenight2895]

I have tried dannunzio spit it out tomaros is the best!

[@Eric-zc9zw]

Home Industry Bakery in Clarksburg makes good ones

[@nunyafinbiz]

I had to move to the Pacific Northwest... and I missed home so bad I love Tomaro's and missed it so much I paid an enormous amount to have a couple dozen shipped here... thankfully I'm moving back home to WV and will be able to go and get them fresh and warm!

[@DanW451]

I think we can all agree that Robin and Mazza's pepperoni rolls belong in the trash.

[@john80c]

I moved to Hedgesville from England 6 years ago-had my first pepperoni roll and haven't looked back!

[@Micoolaw]

Morgantown raised 💛💙

[@miraculoser64]

heck yeah same here! ✌️

[@chris2302]

I grew up in NC but was introduced to these amazing rolls traveling through WV en route to OH and Western PA via Interstates 77 and 79 on many occasions. Regular pepperoni rolls are great but IMHO they're much better with some pepper jack cheese and banana peppers added to the inside of the rolls and served hot from the oven with some marinara sauce. I like to serve them with chili or spaghetti.

[@GregKingston]

I love a good pepperoni roll. Western PA has plenty of places that have been selling them for at least the last 40 years I've been alive. Enjoyed the history lesson anyway.

[@robertspencer703]

Mostly stores closely to the West Virginia border right

[@louiseclemens9612]

I never had a pepperoni roll till I moved to Western Pennsylvania.

[@kyleingram3678]

These are extremely similar to the Kolaches we have here in Texas (Houston) and I know for sure some of our more creative chefs have done a pepperoni filling :) We know the potential!!

[@hugorivera8490]

That’s what I was thinking to myself, these are just kolaches with a different name lol. Still good 👌👌👌

[@West_Coast_Mainline]

Peperoni rolls are epic, it’s a common thing in the stare, love from wetzel

[@fruitsnacks12]

Born & raised in Philadelphia and seriously considering moving to WV. Such a beautiful state and the people seem so friendly. And those pepperoni rolls look delicious 😋

[@jerrycartwright2447]

Tudors Biscuit World has Peppis Biscuits, even better then pepperoni rolls! Born and raised Southern WV!

[@dumabu]

I grew up in Erie PA where you can get pepperoni bread, which is very similar. We used to have it as a Sunday lunch treat when we got home from church.

[@paulandrews298]

Duane Butler I was raised in Erie, also, and pepperoni balls/bread were a family staple. I live in Minneapolis and miss it.

[@wvwild1]

@@paulandrews298 You can make them at home.....frozen bread dough and sticks of pepperoni!!

[@paulandrews298]

Debby King I've tried making them at home, but they lack something.

[@robertamooney7781]

I prefer sliced pepperoni, not sticks. Rhodes frozen bread dough makes the best for an easy fix. Depending on what type you are used too, it might be the difference in the bread that isn't right. Most are made with italian bread dough not just regular bread dough.

[@MT-tu8qd]

Duane Butler . Yep very popular in Western PA....

[@weasleboi8467]

I grew up in wv the pepperoni roles are the best

[@DBELLTREE]

I would get them at a small italian baker, in Royal Oak, Michigan.

[@jameshunsucker2147]

I had no idea until recently that not everyone had heard of pepperoni rolls. Make one right now. Youre missing out.

[@vickierhard1441]

Pepperoni rolls are fabulous. We have the in South-west PA.

[@jackiethompson8547]

I live in WV but the first pepperoni roll I ever had was in New Castle, PA, at Pizza Joe.

[@midonald1959]

You find them on SE Michigan & the Detroit area

[@albertmorris4889]

I was born and lived in Huntington, WV from 1955 until 1995 and my parents were from Southern WV. We had never heard of a pepperoni roll until my job started taking me to Morgantown. It was only then I learned of them & that they were as common as hotdogs in the area above Clarksburg. I don't agree they are a dish common across ALL WV.

[@coreypreece9798]

They certainly are now. Maybe not 25 years ago, but I'm from Putnam County and they are available at any convenience store and most restaurants serve them as an appetizer.

[@MelancoliaI]

One of many reasons why it's Almost Heaven

[@ashleycampbell3669]

They are also a big hit in Dearborn Allen park area of Michigan. Jack’s Italian bakery is known for them

[@ohioalphornmusicalsawman2474]

Pepperoni rolls are popular in Appalachian Ohio. Every good pizza place makes, as do most grocery store bakeries

[@mtb126]

When I was a kid circa 2005, we had Asetta Bread Co. In downtown Mt. Vernon, Ohio, which served these!

[@nicopico5537]

We made them in school and would sale them .. they were really good... We put different kinds of cheese in them.. I also grew up in WV

[@MsThorne2009]

Same here. I still remember smelling them in the hallways when they were in the oven and how hungry it made everyone. 😊

[@abesview5855]

Love them here in PA near Delaware.

[@SLDS592]

As a Pennsylvanian I Eat them to they're BUSSIN

[@9ramthebuffs9]

I've had pepperoni rolls somewhere in Colorado. I can't remember where though. I was really surprised by how good they were.

[@sunshinemishasmommy5352]

Wow,really?Colorado?cool 😊

[@rhettjanes1056]

Love pepperoni rolls they used to sell them in a grocery store where I'm from. But I've always lived in town that bordered West Virginia

[@joshhall72088]

Chunky Joe's pepperoni rolls were amazing

[@mybluebelly]

I bet a plain hamburger is 10 times better than one of those rolls.

[@gadaadyn8190]

As someone who grew up in Huntington and now live away from WV, the white bread just makes think it becomes pure fat

[@omegaproductionsable]

Clarksburg has the best variety hands down!

[@sharonwalker8]

This is something new to me.

[@tonytrotta9322]

The pepperoni roll was invented by Giuseppe "Joseph" Argiro at the Country Club Bakery in Fairmont, West Virginia, in 1927. My dad Enrico Trotta went to high school with Mr. Argiro's son - Frank "CHEECH" Argiro! He used to give us kids free ones as we visited Fairmont, West Virginia. They are the best - pepperoni rolls! We make them at home using my grandmother's bread & pizza recipe for the dough.

[@klmiller333]

I grew up near Beckley WV

[@Houndini]

Many day they saved me on a very hard tough day mining coal.

[@Houndini]

I notice got lot of response & contacted over this one comment. One True story happened about 25 years ago. Do to a major roof fall in low seam coal mine. Only like 36" high. I got almost totally trapped in mines but I had crawl out on hands & knee's, Took me about 12 hours. Only way out!!. But I started out with 2 pepperoni rolls & around 1/2 gallon water . Them pepperoni rolls sure tasted great that day. Outside bosses know I was OK & working my way out I talked to them on mine phone, but them days we had no way to track any 1 miner. True story. Never forget that day. I earned my pay that day for sure.

[@laurenmcginty8792]

if ur having a bad day, just have a good ol' homemade made West Virginia pepperoni roll.

[@monmixer]

WE have them where I live and always have in east central Ohio.

[@apolloobserved]

We have them in the Detroit Metro area in Mom & Pop Italian Bakeries (Dearborn)

[@KeithsReviews]

Eww I heard there are a lot of muslims in Dearborne

[@NaturalMc2011]

Augusta Georgia has had these as long as Baldino's subs has been in business here. They sell out first thing, you have to order ahead.

[@JS-wi5lf]

Never heard of pepperoni rolls until I watched gramma and Ginga.

[@randystone6781]

In Michigan, we had pizza bread: sauce, cheese and pepp baked inside of Italian bread. Always sold warm. 😋

[@evalynkulp461]

I'm not crazy about pepperoni, but damn that looks delicious!

[@sunshinemishasmommy5352]

They are delicious 😊 I grew up in WV and they are a big part of life around here..they are AWESOME 😊

[@8cladgamer210]

They are. That’s the whole point. Simple, delicious, don’t need anything fancy. They have them in school lunch lines here.

[@bettyb1313]

We call them alley Apple's in my neighborhood of Pittsburgh called Swissvale

[@mikevaluska7313]

In Steubenville Ohio an ALLEY APPLE was a rock thrown at someone during a fight. 🥴🥴🥴

[@8cladgamer210]

They’re delicious af. Yall should try some. :)

[@Deeganmb]

Western Pennsylvania is pepperoni roll territory as well. Can get them everywhere.

[@mctraveller8539]

I'm eating one now! I'm in western Pennsylvania. They are good

[@revamartin7965]

i may live in NC but i am WV born and raised............ you havent had a pepperoni roll until youve had one that also has Olivero peppers in it too........... the peppers are made in Clarksburg wv by the Olivero family btw, i was born in Logan.

[@davidgrasso8765]

They are very popular and well known all over Michigan too.

[@evanlucas8914]

Western Pennsylvania here. We have roni rolls too. So good. Though we add mozzarella cheese to ours, which is probably sacrilege to the people from WV.

[@maryshaffer8474]

I like pepperoni rolls with cheese and banana peppers.

[@saiges._]

Ha what a coincidence I actually had them for dinner yesterday(: first time having banana peppers in them and its really good🙃

[@eicrusade6161]

Come to Cleveland Ohio where a lot of West Virginians live. Our Italian places like Maxim's in Mentor Oh make pizza dough ones. We are also known for pizza bagels like at Buettners Bakery.

[@averypgh548]

We've got them in Pittsburgh but that doesn't entirely count as somewhere else than WV.

[@mrsmith2876]

South western PA might as well be part of WV, culture is very similar. It's not uncommon to hear a Pittsburgh accent in WV or a Appalachian accent in Pittsburgh.

[@couches5257]

I recently heard someone call Pittsburgh “The Paris of West Virginia” and that seems pretty true honestly. Us mountaineers love our Steel brothers, except on certain Saturdays.

[@carolbenson6524]

Never heard of these...but sounds good!

[@justakidfromwestvirginia9199]

Trust me, they’re freaking awesome

[@arteks2001]

It is likes pastes/pastries from Hidalgo State in Mexico, but it was the British miners from Cornwall that created them.

[@jenniferferguson3]

Grew up in Wellsburg, too. 🤗

[@itsmecamroy]

I grew up in next town over Follansbee

[@erikk27a]

I'm from Texas and I'm about try one lol

[@dennism341]

From Martinsburg!!

[@sporghell]

Colacessinoes in fairmont is amazing🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤🥴

[@skyl5241]

Love me a good homemade pepperoni roll!

[@charliehenderson38]

Absolutely love them….👍

[@chrisfinch8637]

Yum

[@AaronCLB]

I want to try one

[@GucciCowboyx]

I live in WV and pepperoni roles are life

[@jandkhilbert]

I wish you covered more about stick vs slice and the tru traditional roll basic how to - this was way to brief

[@victorianoftsger9106]

and we eat them all the time

[@manduhgail09]

I’m from Logan , WV & I love pepperoni rolls ❤️♥️

[@DwayneAdkins]

I grew up in Lincoln County. Their sooo good.

[@shyguyguyx3886]

You can find these in Michigan as well

[@richardrogers156]

Should put some ramps in there yum

[@billmason2785]

Delicious all the way from San Francisco 😋😋😋

[@itsmecamroy]

I live in WV. I like mine with two slices of pepper jack cheese melted over it with a slice of tomato and mayonnaise. I had just posted a youtube video about it. This video segment was ok but left stuff out. How they usually are sold with a choice of two different cheeses inside. You can get them around the country. I think Sheetz started selling them or in the frozen section of stores which I don't recommend. This origin story has the Italian immigrants but if you look at welch minors they had similar foods which they brought here.

[@kayevans1720]

Pepperoni rolls are good but the pizza rolls at T&D’s in east Kermit are DIVINE.😋

[@ca-yp8tp]

NW PA.. Erie has had pepperoni "balls", a half size version since the 1800's

[@kahleesaangelofthenight2895]

The best ones are in tomaros in Clarksburg!

[@Runescape.]

that lady looks like shes eaten more than her share of the rolls LOL. also i am from WV. krogers makes the best ones.

[@jonathanw3515]

Honestly I never heard of pepperoni rolls before this video.

[@lochnessamonster1912]

Kyle Brock Not the same thing.

[@robertamooney7781]

A pepperoni roll is just bread baked with pepperoni inside, sometimes with cheese. Only sauce, chili, or peppers are added by the person eating them or if a resturant sells them with that as an extra.

[@jamescook5216]

@@lochnessamonster1912 You are very correct! They definitely are nothing like Pizza Rolls or Hot Pockets! They are much better! :)

[@lochnessamonster1912]

James Cook Yes, it’s hard to believe that two simple ingredients can combine into something so delicious! The key, and no one who has had a pepperoni roll outside of West Virginia will understand this, is in the flour. The flour used is a high gluten version that adds to the chewiness and greasiness of a perfect roll. Gluten-free eaters need not apply.

[@lochnessamonster1912]

Roberta Mooney Oliverio’s Peppers. The only real condiment allowed on a true roll. ;)

[@jerseydevil1995]

You can find pepperoni rolls all throughout NYC at pizza shops

[@bonzothebonbon3331]

Call me a dumb purist all you want I don’t care but a pepperoni roll is 2 things pepperoni and bread

[@citrine65]

They look tasty and similar to the pepperoni rolls I buy in the local pizza place in NJ. The WV rolls look like the bread is lighter. I'll have a couple. Interesting about the miners.

[@tnm2684]

Pizza places usually make them with pizza dough and dont have the same italian bread goodness that soaks up all the pepperoni grease as they cook

[@Chamelionroses]

I am still surprised no one knows what they are by name in other states.

[@dallasbittinger8184]

I have tried to find pepperoni rolls outside my region which includes West Virginia and Western Maryland and you can't find them anywhere.

[@ag-bk5wf]

Martin's and local supermarkets have them. In Cumblerland has a bakery known for them.

[@poshpoultry8721]

I was so proud to own sweet nothings bakery in Princeton for several years until recession hit and people stopped buying! I moved to Florida where I brought the pepperoni roll with me and so YES you can find them at Maggie’s ice cream shop in Melbourne Florida!!!!!