You know it’s a special occasion when Chris Krall starts making pepperoni rolls. I learned that more than 15 years ago at a birthday party for his daughter, Kasey, where I had my first taste of the Pittsburgh classic. The rolls were simple—soft, pillowy bread wrapped around savory sticks of pepperoni—but there was something special about them. Over time, I learned that the recipe had been a Krall family tradition for decades and came with a story of its own.
The recipe came from Chris’s Aunt Zita, a proud Pittsburgher with Polish roots who had been making pepperoni rolls since the 1970s. After Chris’s mother died in a tragic car accident, Zita helped raise him and his brother, opening her home to the family during a difficult period in their lives.
“She helped raise us,” said Chris, who is now retired. “She was our favorite aunt. She died about 15 to 20 years ago, but her recipes live on.”
What Are Pepperoni Rolls?
For Chris, the rolls are a reminder of both his aunt and the region where he grew up. Pepperoni rolls have deep roots in Appalachia, where they were created in the early 20th century as a portable, shelf-stable lunch for coal miners working long shifts underground. The simple combination of bread and cured meat was easy to carry, filling, and didn’t require refrigeration…