Meaty Garlic Knots

This is a delicious mash-up of pigs-in-a-blanket and garlic knots, and can be made with your favorite pizza dough, or even your favorite cinnamon roll dough (without the cinnamon and sugar!).  After your dough has completed its bulk rise, simply divide it into balls, roll each ball into a rope, wrap the rope around your favorite fully cooked hot dog or sausage, tie it in a loose knot, brush with olive oil, and you’ve got a great breakfast, brunch, or snack!  
(Of course, you may omit the meat, and enjoy delicious garlic knots!)

Ingredients

• about 600 grams of your favorite pizza dough -- or use our Quick and Simple Pizza Dough recipe made with Janie's Mill Italian Style Pizza Flour
• 1 12-ounce package of your favorite hot dog or sausage (8 pieces, each cut in half -- or you may use cocktail-size mini hotdogs)
• 1/2 cup olive oil 
• 1 to 3 large cloves garlic, finely chopped (more or less according to how much you like garlic!)
• 1 to 2 teaspoons freshly chopped oregano, or other herb of your choice (or use 1/2 teaspoon dried herbs)
• 1/4 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
• salt and pepper to taste
• sesame seeds, poppy seeds, or other topping of your choice

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (or coat it with cooking oil) and set aside.
2. Place the fully cooked hot dogs or sausages on paper towels and pat them lightly to dry. Slice each in half.
3. After your dough has completed its bulk rise, divide dough into 16 even pieces. Roll each piece into an 8 to 10 inch rope. Wrap the rope around the hot dog or sausage twice and then tie in a loose knot, tucking any loose ends gently under the other dough. Place onto your prepared baking sheet and repeat with the remaining piece of dough and hot dogs. (NOTE: If you are using cocktail mini-hot-dogs, make 20 or more balls and form them into shorter ropes.)
4. Put the olive oil, garlic, herbs, cheese, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Stir gently and microwave 20-30 seconds. Brush each knot on the tray, then sprinkle with sesame seeds or the topping of your choice.
5.  Bake 12-16 minutes or until the bottoms of the knots have browned.
6. When the knots come out of the oven, you may brush with any remaining oil mixture.  Enjoy!