Halloween is approaching and, whether you have small children or not, a party makes everyone a little child again. So if on October 31st you’re preparing a party, or perhaps taking advantage of the long weekend to have dinner with friends, here is a cute idea for an aperitif or starter: witch fingers. This is a savory pastry made with shortcrust pastry filled with hot dogs, shaped like fingers. An almond used as the fingernail completes the preparation. Serving with a little ketchup will give the extra touch. Now that’s a truly spooky finger food!
- Cost: Very economical
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Cooking time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 3-4
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn
Ingredients
- 1 roll shortcrust pastry (pasta brisèe)
- 1 egg white (about 1 oz) egg white
- 4 all-pork hot dogs (wieners)
- 16 almonds
- to taste Ketchup
Tools
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Steps
Take the large wieners and cut them: first lengthwise, then in half. You should get four sticks from each wiener. Place the sheet of shortcrust pastry on a work surface and, using a straight knife or a pizza cutter, cut strips about 3–3.5 inches (8–9 cm) long and about 1 1/8 inches (3 cm) wide. You don’t need to be precise: they just need to be large enough to completely wrap each hot dog stick.
After cutting all the rectangles, place the hot dog sticks in the center and wrap them with the pastry to close.
At one end, leave extra pastry to place the almond, which will simulate the fingernail. Moisten the dough and seal the ends. Take an almond (I used pistachios with skin for color) and press it onto the pastry to create the nail effect.
With the tip of a knife, make small cuts to simulate the finger creases. Brush with a little egg white.
Arrange the fingers on a baking sheet lined with nonstick paper and bake at 320°F for 15–20 minutes.
Cooking time may vary depending on the oven and the number of fingers you are baking. For the party, place them on a plate or tray and cover with a napkin to give the impression a hand is underneath. Serve with ketchup.
Storage
You can prepare these snacks in advance and keep them refrigerated in an airtight container for two to three days. Reheat them in the oven for a few minutes before serving.
My money-saving tip
If you want to cook faster and save time and energy, you can use a microwave with the crisp function (called ‘combi’ on some models) for 7–8 minutes. After 5 minutes, check that the cooking is even on top and bottom and, if not, extend by 2–3 minutes.
You can also cook them in an air fryer set to 338°F and cook for 6–8 minutes. Check the cooking and, if the fingers look too pale and therefore undercooked, extend by a few minutes. Times may vary based on the power of your appliance.
