Pepperoni buns

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups of milk
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons of sugar
• 7 g active dry yeast
• 3.5 cups premium flour + extra for working with the dough
• 1 large egg
• 1 stick (170 g) pepperoni, cut into 4 equal pieces, each cut in half lengthwise
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1.5 cups grated whole milk ricotta

Preparation:

1. Gently heat the milk and butter in a small saucepan until the butter melts. The milk should be very warm, 110-115°F (43-45°C), but not hot. Remove the pan from the heat and add the sugar, yeast, and 2 teaspoons of salt. Let it sit until the yeast is activated and foam appears on the surface, 5-8 minutes.
2. Add the flour, egg, and yeast to a large bowl. Mix the dough together with a rubber spatula. Make sure all ingredients are incorporated; the dough will be sticky and crumbly. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
3. Remove the plastic wrap and gently punch the dough down, still in the bowl, to deflate it. Form it into a ball, as smooth as possible, and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
4. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Transfer the dough to a generously floured surface and knead until it forms a ball. Divide the dough into 8 pieces, weighing 100 grams each. Gently shape each piece into a ball, adding more flour as needed to ensure the dough is soft but still pliable. Using your hands, flatten each ball into an 11 cm (4.5 in) circle.
5. Brush a slice of pepperoni with oil and place it in the center of the circle along with 2 tablespoons of shredded mozzarella. Wrap the pepperoni in the dough like a burrito and place it seam-side down on the prepared baking sheets. It's okay if the filling isn't completely covered by the dough at this point. Repeat with the remaining pepperoni and cheese, arranging the buns on the baking sheets at least 2.5 cm apart to allow the dough to rise. Cover the buns tightly with plastic wrap and let them rise in a warm place for 30 minutes. The buns will rise slightly.
6. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C), brush the tops of the buns with the remaining olive oil and bake until golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes.