Two Ingredient Appetizers: Pigs in a Blanket and Pesto Pinwheels

When I worked for a gourmet grocer, there were three appetizers that flew off the shelves around the holidays: shrimp cocktail, bacon wrapped dates, and pigs in a blanket.

I always gently suggested that customers ordered more than they thought they’d need, particularly when it came to these appetizers. From my own hosting experience, they are always the first to go. You’d be surprised at how many pigs in a blanket one guest can eat. Or maybe you wouldn’t (ahem), if you’re that guest.

Pigs in a blanket are one of my go-tos when I’m tasked with bringing an appetizer to a get-together or I’m hosting guests for dinner. They’re both kid and adult friendly, and they can be gussied up with a few simple additions. And best of all, they are only two ingredients.

You’ll find the specific instructions in the recipe below, but basically you’re cutting some puff pastry, wrapping it around a sliced hot dog, and baking it. That’s it!

Should you wish to elevate the pigs in a blanket a bit, I’ve included instructions to brush them with a beaten egg, which adds shine, and then to top them with poppy seeds, sesame seeds, or both. This mimics those seed-topped buns you’d find at the grocery store, and I think it makes for a beautiful presentation.

For serving, ketchup is a must. Yellow mustard is also a good idea, though you could opt for a fancy mustard here. I found an apple brandy mustard from a Spanish company called Victoria Amory. It’s a little sweet with flavors of apple, plus that signature tang from the mustard.

The box of puff pastry includes two sheets of the dough, so it begs the question: what to do with the other piece? I don’t recommend saving it, as the dough will dry out quickly in the refrigerator. So you could either make a double batch of pigs in a blanket, or put together another two ingredient appetizer: Pesto Pinwheels.

Pesto Pinwheels are also simple to make, and look really impressive when lined up on a serving platter. I chose a jarred basil pesto from the Italian aisle at my grocery store. You could also make your own or opt for another type of pesto. I saw a sundried tomato pesto and an artichoke pesto that would also be tasty! Avoid any pesto that is super oily here though, as the oil will seep through the pastry and create a mess. I skimmed some of the oil off the top of mine to solve the issue.

While you’re making the pinwheels, you’ll return the pastry to the refrigerator twice. The first time is so that you can cut the logs into pinwheels easily. The second time is to ensure that the pastry gets maximum “puff” when it hits the oven. Basically, when the cold pastry gets met with a blast of heat from the oven, it’ll expand quickly and get super flaky.

If you’re hunting around for puff pastry at the grocery store, it’ll be in the frozen section next to the refrigerated pie crusts and frozen whipped topping. I almost always keep a box in the freezer—it lasts for months and can be pulled out for making quick appetizers like these or for topping a chicken pot pie (yum!).

What are your go-to appetizers?

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