SMOKED SALMON AND CREAM CHEESE PASTRIES

I’ve been on a bit of a mission lately to expand my brunch repertoire.

Barclay and I have been hard at work this week experimenting with my new espresso machine, trying to learn how to create our very own little repertoire of cappuccinos, lattes, americanos, and (our favorite) flat whites that would pass the taste-test of his relatives in New Zealand.  But in all of our over-caffeinated excitement telling everyone about this espresso machine, I think we’ve invited just about everyone we know at some point to come over for brunch or a coffee date.  ;)  Which makes my little entertainer’s heart very happy.  But which also means I’m going to be serving a lot of brunch food coming up to go with all of that espresso!

So I’ve been experimenting with some fun new recipes in the mornings, many of which (you may have noticed lately) seem to center around my beloved puff pastry sheets that I always keep stocked in my freezer.  But today’s recipe is a much more savory pastry recipe — which is always what I reach for at brunches when given the choice — inspired by those lox bagels we all love.  It’s quick and easy to make, it’s easy to customize with your favorite ingredients, and my goodness, is it delicious.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
• 1 (8-ounce) package Arla cream cheese spread (I used the Original variety*)
• 1 (5-ounce) package smoked salmon
• optional toppings: fresh dill, chopped fresh chives, capers, or anything else that tasty good to you

DIRECTIONS:

• Preheat oven to 400°F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and set aside.
• Lay out the thawed** puff pastry sheet on a floured surface, and gently use a rolling pin to even out the creases.  Use a pizza cutter or a knife to cut the sheet into 9 equal squares.  Use a knife to score a very thin border around the outside of each square, then use a fork to poke lots of holes into middle of pastry, to minimize inflation.  Transfer the puff pastry squares to the prepared baking sheet.
• Use a pastry brush to brush the whisked egg whites all over the top of the puff pastry squares.  Then transfer them to the oven and bake according to package directions until golden, about 10-12 minutes, keeping an eye on it while baking to be sure that they doesn’t puff up.  (If they do, just pull the baking sheet out of the oven and use a spatula to pat the squares back down until they are flat, repeating if needed.)  Remove and let cool for 5 minutes.
• Read more please visit :www.gimmesomeoven.com

Tweet

Subscribe to receive free email updates: