One of the best things about food memories is that you can bring them back to life through the senses. I’m not sure there is a more powerful way to feel transported back to a moment, experience, or tradition than through cooking. My grandpa was a wildly talented home cook. He was intuitive, creative, particular, and passionate in the kitchen. He taught my mother so much of what she knows about cooking, and she has passed a great deal of this on to me (as much as she can without one single written recipe to work with).
Grandpa was ahead of his time, too: He would create sweet glazes with orange and honey to coat savory chicken, and then thoughtfully style and plate the dish with vibrant candied orange slices. He would add egg yolks to pizza dough, giving it a subtle yellow hue and a texture that I haven’t been able to match at home or in any restaurant. He would split hot dogs before pan-frying them and stuffing them into buttered and pan-fried rolls. He was jarring his own fermented foods and making delicious creations, like pepper relish, long before it was a trend. He was topping sweet and savory baked goods with coarse salt long before the flaky salt trend would take over the world. He even added apple peels to homemade applesauce in order to give it a gorgeous and natural pink hue.
The man was an artist. A creative genius in the kitchen. And there was one recipe he made every holiday season that we all still rave about today, making sure that it’s on the menu throughout the entire holiday season: Grandpa’s Kielbasa in A Blanket.
Sara Haas
What Is Kielbasa in a Blanket?
His recipe takes your basic pigs in a blanket (no disrespect, we love pigs in a blanket) and elevates it to entirely new levels of flavor and texture. It isn’t complex or time-consuming, and it only requires three ingredients: kielbasa, pizza dough, and a quick honey mustard dipping sauce.
If you’ve never tasted kielbasa, it’s a thick, salty, and savory sausage packed with rich and smoky flavor, and is typically made with a blend of pork, beef, and spices like garlic and pepper. In this recipe, slices of savory kielbasa are wrapped in either store-bought or homemade pizza dough, brushed with nutty, rich butter, and then baked until crisp and golden, which only takes 15 to 20 minutes in the oven.
The grand finale takes place when you dip the kielbasa in a blanket of a beautifully balanced honey mustard sauce made with peppery, tangy whole-grain mustard and sweet, sticky, floral honey. It’s the perfect pair, and the appetizer you need this holiday season. Is your mouth watering yet? Mine too. Learn how to make my grandfather’s famous appetizer below and watch your holiday guests swoon over this three-ingredient seasonal hit.
Christine Fiorentino
How To Make Kielbasa in a Blanket
Ingredients
- 1 lb pound kielbasa
- 1 lb pizza dough
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 cup whole-grain mustard
- 2 tablespoons honey
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Reduce to a simmer. Place kielbasa, whole, in the simmering water for 10 minutes.
- Carefully remove kielbasa from water and cool before handling. Slice diagonally into 1-inch-thick pieces. Set aside.
- Tear pizza dough into about 20 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball, then press down to flatten, forming a circular shape. Place a slice of kielbasa in the center of each piece and wrap dough around securely. It’s fine if the edges of the kielbasa are exposed on the ends. Arrange in a single layer on the prepared baking tray; brush with melted butter.
- Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 20 minutes.
- While kielbasa is baking, add whole grain mustard and honey to a medium bowl. Whisk until completely combined.
- Serve warm kielbasa in a blanket with honey mustard sauce for dipping.