Hello everyone! Today, I’m sharing a super fun recipe that’s perfect for cooking with the little chefs in your life. Get your kiddos ready for an exciting appetizer for day 7—Greek-style hot dog rolls! These are delicious and inspired by the Greek loukanikopitakia. If you haven’t been to Greece yet and are planning a trip, you must stop by a bakery. The aroma is incredible, and you’ll likely find these Greek-style hot dogs there, usually made with sausage. All you need for this recipe is puff pastry, hot dogs, feta cheese, mustard (optional), and my yummy feta béchamel sauce.

Introducing Day #7 of the yummy “Twelve Days of Christmas Meze”. 

Greek-Style Hot Dog Rolls Recipe

Servings: 8-10

Ingredients:

• 1 box of puff pastry (sheets) at room temperature
• 1 package of 8 hot dogs (I used Ball Park) brand
• 1 (6) oz container of Feta cheese (crumbled)
•  Mustard (optional)
• Sesame seeds (optional)

Feta Bechamel sauce (your special sauce!) See the recipe at the bottom of this page.

Method:

1. Preheat the Oven to 400 degrees. 
 
2. Prepare the puff pastry dough. Roll out your puff pastry on a clean surface to about 13 inches long and 10 inches wide. Cut 2 1/2 x 2-inch strips and set aside. You want approximately 20 pieces.  Place the hot dog on a cutting board, and slice it into half lengthwise. Then cut each half into two. You should have in total 32 pieces. Set aside until ready to use. 

3.  Start with a clean surface and take 1 puff pastry sheet that is already cut.  Sprinkle some crumbled feta cheese onto the center of each puff pastry sheet.If you are a mustard fan, you can drizzle a bit of mustard on the puff pastry.

4. Place a hot dog on the feta cheese, then roll the puff pastry around it. You can secure the edges by pressing down gently with your fingers. Once the roll is done, then place it into a circular pie dish slightly greased. Repeat until all rolls are done and you have achieved a beautiful circle. 

5. Brush the wrapped hot dogs with an egg wash for a golden, crispy finish. Then sprinkle with sesame seeds. 

6. Place the pie in the center rack for about 30-35 minutes or until the puff pastry is golden brown and crispy.

7. While the pigs in a blanket are baking, you can prepare your delicious feta bechamel sauce. Serve the pigs in a blanket warm, with or without mustard, and enjoy the cheesy, savory goodness!

This Greek-style twist with feta cheese and your homemade feta bechamel sauce will take these classic pigs in a blanket to the next level. Perfect for little chefs to help out with and enjoy a tasty snack!

Feta Bechamel Sauce Recipe

Adding a touch of brandy to your Feta Béchamel elevates its flavor profile with a subtle warmth and complexity, perfect for enhancing rich Greek dishes like moussaka or pastitsio. 

Servings: 8-10

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 4 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1/4 cup brandy (preferably Metaxa for a Greek touch)
• 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

Method:

1. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1–2 minutes until smooth and fragrant.

2. Remove the pan briefly from the heat, then slowly pour in the brandy, whisking well. Allow the alcohol to cook off for about 1 minute, returning the pan to medium heat.

3. Slowly whisk in the milk, a little at a time, to ensure a smooth sauce. Continue whisking until the mixture thickens, about 3-5 minutes. 

4. Remove from the heat and stir in the feta cheese. Whisk until melted and smooth.

5. Add the nutmeg and season with salt and pepper to taste. Adjust the consistency if needed with a splash of warm milk.

Tips

• For a slightly sweeter note, pair the brandy with a teaspoon of honey.
• To highlight the flavor of the brandy, consider using a pinch of white pepper instead of black.

Notes:

• The puff pastry I buy comes in a box with 2 sheets of dough from Pepperidge Farms. You can use any puff pastry but make sure you have enough to roll out to a sheet of about 13 x 10 rectangle. 
• If you don’t want to add feta cheese, you can replace it with any cheese you love.
• Adding dry oregano to the feta mix gives it such a wonderful flavor.