Ah, hot dogs, one of the most beloved street foods in the world. Whether it’s a simple bun stuffed with a cooked wiener and a sauce or real gourmet hot dogs, there’s something for every taste.
To me, hot dogs remind me of many journeys. Because the hot dog, indeed, is found almost everywhere and the beauty is that every place has its recipe or that particular addition to the filling that makes it unique. For instance, we enjoyed them in Iceland, where they are called pylsur and the wiener is made from lamb, pork, and beef, or even in Tromsø, Norway, where they are served right in the center, at a kiosk that also boasts the title of “smallest bar in the world.” In that case, the wieners were made from reindeer and veal and you could choose from various toppings, such as marinated onions, fried onions, and much more.
When I make them at home, I obviously make the bread at home, which, as usual, is a different story altogether, and everyone stuffs them as they like. I like them with chopped lettuce, pickled cucumbers, and, of course, fried onions.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Rest time: 3 Days
- Preparation time: 40 Minutes
- Portions: 6 hot dogs
- Cooking methods: Oven, Stove
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons dry yeast
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 cup milk (warm)
- 1 egg (room temperature)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 6 wieners
- 8 pickled cucumbers
- as needed lettuce
- as needed fried onions
- as needed ketchup
- as needed mayonnaise
- as needed mustard
- 1 egg (for brushing)
Steps
To prepare hot dog buns, put the flour, dry yeast, sugar, and warm milk in the bowl of the stand mixer. Turn on the mixer and add the egg and salt. Knead until the dough is homogeneous, then pour in the oil slowly, continuing to knead until the dough is well-incorporated, meaning it has detached from the bottom and sides of the bowl and is wrapped around the hook.
Form a ball with the dough, put it back in the bowl, and let it rise covered until it doubles in size, about 2 hours and 30 minutes.
When the dough has doubled in volume, divide it into 6 equal pieces with the help of a scale and form a ball with each one.
On a floured surface, then roll out each ball of dough with the help of a rolling pin, forming a rectangle about 8 x 4 inches. Then roll the rectangle of dough to obtain a sausage shape about 8 inches long. Pinch the dough on the sides and on the back to close the seam and get a smooth surface.
Place the obtained buns on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and let them rise covered for another 30 minutes.
In the meantime, preheat the oven to 375°F (static).
Beat the egg with the help of a fork and brush it on your hot dog buns.
Bake at 375°F for about 20 minutes, until golden.
Take the buns out of the oven, cut them in half lengthwise, leaving the bottom intact, and fill them with the filling below, or as you like.
Bring water to a boil in a pot, drop in the wieners, cover with a lid, and let simmer for about ten minutes.
Wash and dry the lettuce and slice it thinly. Drain the pickles and slice them thinly.
Stuff your hot dog buns with lettuce, pickles, wieners, as well as fried onions and sauces to taste, and serve.
