From savoring Korean bulgogi to sharing South African biltong with my peers, my early years were marked by a fascination with the lessons each meal could teach me. This passion was abruptly interrupted just before my 16th birthday. Everything changed at that point.
One evening, after I had made myself a dinner of filet mignon and mushrooms encased in phyllo dough, I got out of bed only to collapse face-first onto the floor. It took half a year and two dozen doctors to diagnose why I had lost the ability to walk, and that was just the start.
My battle with neuro-Lyme disease lasted seven years, during which I lost not only the ability to walk but also to sit up by myself. Perhaps most painfully, it took a toll on my love for food. My mother had a tough time finding food that I could tolerate. Initially, I managed to eat mushrooms in puff pastry from a local gourmet shop, but after we relocated, it became much more challenging to find suitable food.
Since I could still handle puff pastry, we tried Nathan’s Beef Franks wrapped in it. It wasn’t the healthiest option, but it was better than nothing.
Fast forward to 2025. I’ve been disease-free for 22 years and have returned to eating with the same enthusiasm I had as a child, albeit with the palate of an adult food journalist. Yet, I still hold a special fondness for Nathan’s hot dogs in flaky puff pastry. Could I create a refined version myself? Inspired by a recipe from Barefoot Contessa, I did just that.
Crafting Ina Garten’s Puff Pastry Hot Dogs
Ina Garten’s take on hot dogs wrapped in puff pastry uses just four simple ingredients. I started by heading to Walmart to pick up everything needed for about $20, a reasonable amount for a meal serving four. I left the puff pastry to thaw in the fridge overnight, which was the extent of the advance preparation.
The following day, I preheated the oven to 375°F and lightly floured my favorite cutting board. Garten’s method involves smoothing the puff pastry by rolling out the folds, a step I might skip next time.
I mistakenly cut the pastry into two triangles instead of the rectangles Garten recommended. Nonetheless, I continued by spreading a tablespoon of Dijon mustard on the lower part of each pastry piece, then placed a hot dog at the bottom of each piece.
With extra pastry on the sides, I folded them over and sealed them using an egg wash, which I also brushed over the top. I placed each prepared hot dog on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, seam-side down, seasoned them with salt and pepper, and put them in the oven.
Garten suggests baking them for 25 to 35 minutes. I needed the full 35 minutes to achieve a nicely browned exterior, although the centre was still a tad underdone due to the thickness of the pastry.
But in the end, it didn’t really matter. By making these, I felt I had conquered a significant challenge from a difficult time in my life. With each bite dipped in extra mustard, I felt healthy and fulfilled.
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Riley Morgan simplifies health and wellness topics, providing readers with practical advice and insights. Dedicated to empowering others, Riley covers everything from mental health to medical breakthroughs.
