Hot Italian Sausage Pigs in a Blanket
Nibbles and Bites Issue #32: Playing catch up before the month is over!
Happy, happy sunny Sunday!
I do believe that the last time we spoke, I promised I’d send out my second Super Bowl recipe, but as you can see time got away from me. Better late than never! Pigs in a Blanket have a soft spot in my heart and I have memories of snacking on them during many a Christmas party as a little kid dolled up in a navy blue velvet dress (my favorite, chicest look at the time). They’re such a crowd pleaser and because they’re so simple and a relatively blank canvas, you can really customize them however you’d like if you give it some thought.
For this version, I switched out the mini cocktail wieners (impossible to find at your average grocery store!) for hot italian sausages that I quartered lengthwise and cut into 3” long pieces before wrapping in puff pastry dough. Speckled with parmesan and black pepper to top, this version has more heat and seasoning than your average version. I served mine with a creamy, picky dipping sauce, but I think you could use some leftover marinara, pesto or whatever you’d like for dipping! There are even more suggestions below!
Italian Sausage-and-Pepper Pigs in a Blanket
Ingredients for Pigs in a Blanket:
1 lb hot italian sausage
1 egg, whisk to combine
2 tbsp parmesan cheese
1 box of puff pastry dough
1 tbsp of cracked black pepper
Ingredients for Picky Creamy Mustard Sauce:
2 tbsp of whole grain mustard
⅓ cup of mayonnaise
¼ cup of chopped roasted red peppers
1 tbsp of roasted red pepper brine
Store bought dipping sauce options:
Marinara sauce, Vodka sauce, creamy alfredo, basil pesto, or olive tapenade mixed with a little olive oil to loosen
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Crack the egg in a small bowl and whisk with 1 tablespoon of water until smooth.
Meanwhile remove the outer casing and cut the italian sausages lengthwise to create long strips. Cut each piece into smaller 3” logs taking care to reshape the sausage until it is more tightly packed. Repeat with the remaining sausage links.
On a lightly floured surface, roll the puff pastry dough out slightly and cut into equally sized 2” by 4” rectangles. Place the small pieces of hot italian sausage lengthwise on the piece of puff pastry leaving about ¼” to ½” of the sausage exposed on either end. Roll the pastry around the sausage and seal with a little bit of egg wash. Make sure to pinch the dough with your fingers to ensure a proper seal to prevent them from unraveling while baking.
Place the rolled sausages on a parchment lined baking sheet and place in the fridge while you repeat the wrapping process with the remaining pieces of sausage and puff pastry. Once all of the sausages have been assembled, keep in the fridge for 10 to 15 minutes to ensure the butter in the puff pastry is cold before baking.
Meanwhile, line a second sheet tray with parchment paper. Once the pigs-in-a-blanket have chilled for 10 minutes, quickly divide them between the lined sheet trays leaving at least an inch of space between them. Lightly brush with egg wash and sprinkle with parmesan cheese and cracker black pepper.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown. Let cool for about 5 minutes before serving. Serve immediately with dipping sauce of your choice.
If you’ve gotten to the bottom of this email and enjoyed the read, hurray! I am going my job and keeping you captivated. If you’ve enjoyed the read, perhaps you might consider sharing the newsletter with a friend, parents or even your weird neighbor so that they can enjoy my recipes too. Here’s a link to follow to do so!
Until next time,
Kristen and Little Piggy (Chippy) on a blanket!!