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Herbed Pigs in a Blanket with Mustard Sauce

Source of Recipe

From "Cook With Me" by Alex Guarnaschelli


Recipe Introduction

"This recipe is just enough cooking for those times when you feel like doing a project but you don't want to spend all day at it. Grab some buttery puff pastry sheets in the freezer section of your supermarket. Pick up those mini hot dogs (you know the ones). You will see such a difference in flavor when you roll and bake these yourself rather than buying them pre-made (it's a lot cheaper, too). The real sleeper is the sauce—the pop of the mustard seeds mixed with the hot sauce, vinegar, and sweet honey is so good. Everyone loves these. So will you! Stop lying to yourself and dig in."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 2 (12-ounce) packages mini hot dogs (48 pieces)
â—¦ 2 large egg yolks
â—¦ All-purpose flour, for rolling the pastry
â—¦ 1 (1-pound) box frozen puff pastry, thawed
â—¦ 8 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (stems and all)
â—¦ ¼ cup grainy Dijon mustard
â—¦ 2 tablespoons honey
â—¦ 1 tablespoon Tabasco
â—¦ 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar


Recipe

Use a paring knife to make a few small cuts into the casing of each hot dog. (This will prevent the hot dogs from bursting when you bake them.) In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks with a splash of cold water. Line two sheet pans with parchment paper.

Sprinkle some flour on a work surface. Place one of the puff pastry sheets on the floured surface and flatten the seams with a rolling pin. The goal is to thin out the pastry a little and smooth the edges. Cut the pastry into strips about 1 ¼ inches wide and 2 ¼ inches long (about 24 strips per puff pastry sheet, so you have 48 total). Place the cut strips on one of the lined sheet pans and refrigerate them while you cut the other sheet of pastry into strips.

Sprinkle some parsley down the center of each strip. Set a hot dog crosswise on the short end of a pastry strip, making sure it is centered on the pastry. Dab some of the egg wash on the other end of the pastry strip, roll the hot dog up in its dough "blanket," and press the free edge onto the blanket to seal it closed. The dough should overlap slightly on itself. If need be, pinch the two edges to firmly close them. Place the pigs in blankets, seam-side down, on one of the prepared sheet pans, leaving some distance between them for browning. Leaving them on their seams will help keep the dough from unfolding. Repeat with the remaining strips, setting them on the lined pan once rolled. Refrigerate the pigs in blankets for at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.

Make the dip:
In a medium bowl, whisk the mustard, honey, Tabasco, and vinegar with a splash of warm water. Taste for seasoning and adjust as you like. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 375° F. Arrange oven racks in the lower-middle and upper-middle positions. Place the sheet pans in the oven and bake until the pastry is golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve the pigs in blankets with the dip on the side.

Makes about 4 dozen and ½ cup of sauce