Hot dog

Preparing a hot dog is simple and requires just a few ingredients. Here’s a basic recipe with an Italian twist:

Ingredients

• Hot dog bun (preferably soft and not too toasted)
• Quality frankfurter (you could use veal frankfurter or some local variant)
• Dijon mustard or other quality mustard
• Ketchup (optional)
• Sweet and sour onions (for an Italian touch)
• Pickles like gherkins or pickled chili peppers (optional)
• A drizzle of extra virgin olive oil (to bring it all together Italian-style)

Preparation

1. Start by heating the frankfurters: you can boil them, fry them in a pan, roast them on the grill, or follow your preferred cooking method, until they are well heated and slightly browned.
2. In the meantime, if you prefer the bun warm, you can heat it in the oven, on a hot plate, or on the edge of the grill.
3. Slice the bun slightly lengthwise without completely separating the two halves.
4. Place the hot frankfurter inside the bun.
5. Dress the frankfurter with mustard and add ketchup if you wish.
6. Add sweet and sour onions and pickles of your choice.
7. To finish, give it an Italian twist with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil over the frankfurter.
8. If you desire, you can also add a pinch of dried oregano for additional flavoring.

Interesting Facts

The hot dog, as we know it today, has its origins contested among various cities in the United States where it was popularized by German immigrants. The version with an Italian touch is enriched with Mediterranean flavors thanks to the use of olive oil and sweet and sour onions, which provide a pleasantly contrasting taste with the sweet and tangy.