PUFF PASTRY IS BOTH ELEGANT AND PRACTICAL

My post on appetizers reminded me how versatile puff pastry is and what fun it is to work with. It gives the impression of luxury but is actually very practical and can make even the humblest of fillings or flavoring ingredients appear elegant.

To share a trade secret with you, personal chefs working for one employer on a daily basis are expected to make everything from scratch. Personal chef service owners have many clients with monthly appointments. During each session, the chef delivers the food, preps it and cooks, usually, 4 or 5 entrees with a combined total of 20 servings, individually packaged for freezing. There isn’t time to make everything from scratch, so these chefs rely on using a few good commercial products.

One of my favorite go-tos is commercial, frozen puff pastry. As a rule, I make my own dough, because I l can make better than I can buy but I can buy better puff pastry than I can make. I don’t feel guilty either because Cordon Bleu trained Julia Child and Alma Lach both mention the option of choosing the excellent commercial brands available. Puff Pastry is notoriously time and labor intensive to make, with often ‘iffy’ results for the inexperienced.

However it is necessary to understand how it’s made to be able to work with it. The French call puff pastry dough ‘pate feuilletee’ or ‘pastry of leaves’. In fact, one class of dessert is called ‘Mille Feuille’ or ‘thousand leaves’ because it consists of multiple layers of delicate, flaky pastry. The ‘puff’ comes from air trapped between the layers which escapes during baking.

The best modernized directions I’ve seen for making puff pastry are in Dione Lucas ‘version in The Cordon Bleu Cookbook. They simplify the classic instructions but will give you an idea of the original.
‘Put 1 cup flour in the middle of a board, mix in 1 tsp. salt and making a well in the center add ½ to ¾ cup ice water and work to a paste. Roll out to a 12 inch square. Put 1 cup butter in the center of the bottom half and fold over. Chill for 15 min. Roll out with angled short strokes, turning the board around as you work to spread the butter over the surface between the layers, ending with the dough in a long strip. Fold 1/3^rd over the center, and then fold the top 1/3^rd over them. Roll again and chill, covered, for 30 min. Fold, roll, fold, roll and chill 3 more times. Chill for several hours, then either freeze or use.’

Carole Clements and Elizabeth Wolf-Cohen in Classic French Recipes For Special Occasions modernize the process a step further by using a processor. They change the flour to 1 ½ cups cake flour and lower the salt to ¼ tsp. They pulse the two to combine, then add the butter for 3 or 4 pulses and run the machine 5 sec. while slowly pouring in the water. The dough should look curdy with visible pieces of butter. Gather into a ball on a floured surface and chill 30 min. if the butter is soft. Roll out to a 16 x 6 inch rectangle and begin the folding and rolling sequences described in the above recipe.

Now you know why I prefer to buy puff paste over making it, and at today’s butter prices, I don’t even think it’s an expense. The folding process is tedious, but it creates those wonderful ‘leaves’ which also require some special considerations in working with them.

• Always thaw puff pastry before cutting it or it will crack jaggedly, but don’t worry it refreezes
• Never slice the pastry. Use a pizza cutter or the point of a sharp knife in a series of straight cuts
• Don’t press scraps into a ball to save them. Gently press the edges together with a mist of water and roll to seal the seam. Freeze to keep.
• When baking make sure the sheet is lightly oiled, greased or covered with parchment. For single layers, to insure that the top surface stays smooth and flat, cover with a second piece of parchment and weigh with another baking sheet or pie pan.
• Puff pastry edges tend to be more even than pie dough, but trim them if necessary to form a straight ‘clean’ line before starting to cut shapes.
• Before baking, it’s nice to ‘riff’ the edges every inch or so with a knife point to make sure they aren’t crimped and allow the air to escape and the layers to rise or ‘puff’.
• Avoid using cookie cutters. They are too dull and they crimp the pastry edges, preventing the puff.
• Always chill the pastry well before using, and always place in a preheated oven.

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Now that all the ‘Don’ts’ are out, let’s get into the fun side of working with puff pastry. I’m going to format this differently than most of my posts and concentrate on the pastry presentations rather than flavorings and/or fillings. So there will be more texts and suggestions, to illustrate how easy it is to use and all it can do and I’m listing the examples by shapes rather than recipes.

STRIPS

Parmesan Pinwheels: Makes 20-24

9 oz. puff pastry

1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan
2 Tbs. finely chopped fresh herbs of choice
1 egg beaten
Mix the cheese and herbs in a bowl. Roll the pastry out to an 8 inch square and sprinkle with half the cheese mix. Roll it again to a 10 inch square, brush with ¾ of the egg, sprinkle with the rest of the cheese mix and carefully roll it into a log. Seal the seam with the rest of the egg. Cut the log into ½ inch slices and place on a greased baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 425 deg. oven for 10 min. until golden and crisp. Cool on a rack. Store in an airtight tin.

Pinwheel Cookies: Makes 20-24
Substitute ¼ cup granulated sugar for the cheese and 1Tbs. ground cinnamon for the herbs. Follow the above directions. TIP: brushing the surface of the cookies with egg will make it shine.
NOTE- to make Bear Claws a.k.a. Pig’s Ears: Rather than rolling from one direction, do it from both sides in towards the center until they meet. Then slice as directed above and bake.

Bread Sticks: Makes 24
Roll dough to a 12 x 14 inch rectangle. Cover the surface of the dough with either option above, or ¼ cup sesame seeds, chopped nuts, sprinkled kosher salt or decorator’s sugar or just brush with egg to give a shine. Divide into (2) 7 inch pieces and cut each into (12) 6 inch strips. Twist the strips and stretching to keep them 6 inches long, place them on a parchment lined baking sheet, pressing the ends down so they don’t untwist in baking. Bake as directed above.

NOTE: In 3 inch lengths these are great appetizer snacks or dessert cookies. For dessert treats, bake them plain and dip 1/3 of each in melted chocolate. Cool and allow to harden.

RECTANGLES

Fresh Tomato Tarts: Makes 6- From Party Food by Parragon Publishing
9 oz. puff pastry
¼ cup pesto sauce

2 pts. Cherry tomatoes-halved OR 6 plum tomatoes sliced
Salt and pepper
1 egg beaten

Fresh herbs of choice for garnish
Roll the pastry out to a 12 x 10 rectangle on a floured board. Cut in half to make (2) 5 inch pieces, then cut them to make (6) 5 x 6 inch pieces. With a fork, score the edges of the pieces and brush with egg. Spread the centers with the pesto and top with the tomatoes, cut side up. Season lightly and bake in a preheated 400 deg. oven for 15-20 min. until puffed and golden. Serve garnished with herbs.

Mille Feuille: Serves 8-From Everyday Meals by Bon Appetit
1 pkg. puff pastry
1 egg beaten

2 Tbs. sugar
Cooking oil spray
Parchment paper
On a floured board roll the pastry out to 8 x 16. Cut into (16) 2×4 inch rectangles. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet, brush with egg and sprinkle with sugar. Coat another piece of parchment with the spray and place oil side down on the pastry. Cover with a second baking sheet and put in a preheated 400 deg. oven. Bake for 20-25 min. Cool. To serve place 1 rectangle on a plate, spoon fresh fruit, fruit compote, pie filling or stewed fruit over it. Top with another rectangle, at an angle looks nice, and spoon whipped cream or ice cream on the side.

Napoleons: Serves 12 – This is a modern, low-fat version of a French classic
1 sheet puff pastry
8 oz. cream cheese
8 oz. whipped topping
3 Tbs. toasted, chopped almonds

1 can chocolate frosting

1 egg beaten

Roll pastry into a 12×12 inch square and divide into (3) 4 x12 inch strips. Prepare and cook as directed for Mille Feuille and cool. Beat whipped topping and cheese until smooth, divide in half and add nuts and extract to half. Spread, spoon or pipe the cheese mix with the nuts down one strip of pastry, cover with a 2^nd strip and spread, spoon or pipe with the plain cheese mix. Spread the frosting on the 3^rd strip and place on top. Chill several hours until hardened. When ready to serve, slice into 1x 4 inch slices and place flat on the plates.

SQUARES
There are lots of interesting ways to use this shape.

Appetizers:

For appetizers simply cut the pastry into 3 inch squares and place a scant 1-1 ½ tsp. filling in the center; fold over diagonally and using egg as a sealant, press the edges together. Cut a small slit in the top of each and bake in a preheated 375 deg. oven for about 20 min. until golden. Can be made and frozen 1-2 weeks ahead, thaw before cooking. Suggestion for fillings:

• Meat pate-liver, ham, chicken, crab or shrimp.
• Thawed, chopped spinach mixed with a little cream cheese and nutmeg to taste
• Sautéed chopped onion and mushrooms with a dash of Teriyaki sauce for flavor

Turnovers: Serves 4

For these, roll a sheet of puff pastry into a 12×12 inch square and divide in 4 equal pieces. Place about ¼ cup filling in the center and fold over diagonally, using egg to seal the edges. Slash 3 vent holes in the top and bake on a parchment lined baking sheet in a preheated 375 deg. oven for 30 min. until golden.

Turnovers are wonderfully useful. Filled with meat and/or cheese they can replace sandwiches.

However, they’re better known as a dessert and one of my favorites, filled with fruit, washed with egg and sprinkled with sugar to give a lovely, sweet glaze. Some suggestions for fillings are;

• Slices of ham and cheese, with a smear of mustard, or slices of chicken or turkey, and a touch of chutney.
• Cooked ground meat with optional seasonings.
• Diced fruit, tossed with a bit of cornstarch, a sliver of butter and some sugar
• Cooked fruit compote
• Ready-made pie filling

Cornish Pastie

My Grandmother couldn’t resist improving on a traditional family recipe. A Cornish Pastie is essentially a 2-3 entrée sized turnover filled with drained cooked meat and vegetables, or frankly, stew. The drained broth from the stew pot is thickened, seasoned and made into gravy, which is passed on the side. Nana replaced regular pie crust with egg washed puff pastry which arrived at table golden and gleaming. She simply rolled it out to a 12 inch square and cooked it according to the turnover directions above, allowing 1 Pastie per 2-3 people. It turned a weekday dinner into a special meal.

Square Stars: Serves 6

These can be made in many sizes, but for this example: roll the pastry to a 10 x 15 inch rectangle and divide into (2) 5 inch strips, then cut them into 3rds making (6) 5 inch squares. Using a glass or jar lid, lightly indent a 2 inch circle in the center of each. With a square directly in front of you, calculate, or visualize the length of one side in 1/3s. (For that size piece, it’s about 1 ½ inches.) Now make a diagonal cut across the middle 1/3^rd from the rim of the center indented circle to the outside edge of the square and curl the pointed piece under the top end of the slash over the corner behind it. Repeat with the other 3 sides and bake in a preheated 425 deg. oven for 10-12 min. until golden. Cool and fill the centers with any number of options; fresh or cooked fruit with custard, whipped topping and/or ice cream, tuna or another salad, a dip or pate, even a creamed entrée in place of toast.

CIRCLES

Patti Shells

The best known of this shape are Patti shells, which like the puff pastry sheets are available in the freezer section of most markets and of such high quality that considering other options is ridiculous. Just follow the directions for oven temperatures and cooking times. These are excellent vehicles for creamed entrees, Chicken a la King, Creamed Chipped Beef, with pearl onions, mushrooms and peas added to upgrade it. They’re also good with Asian dishes. I had a Vietnamese friend who hated rice but served the most amazing dishes in Patti shells. I remember a wonderful chicken curry—-

The shells also do dessert duty, filled with fresh fruit, cooked fruit compote or even canned pie filling (just cook the filling in a microwave about 5 min. first and then chill it or serve warm)

Galettes

Puff pastry makes a wonderful Galette crust. Roll out a sheet to a 12 x 12 inch square and round off the corners. Use a plate to indent an 8 inch circle in the center, and fill with fruit. Lift up the 2 inch margin and pleat it to enclose the fruit. Place on a parchment covered baking sheet and bake in a 375 deg. oven 30-40 min. until bubbling and golden.

NOTE; This is great way to showcase the summer stone fruits. Don’t slice, halve plums or apricots, peeled peaches, dust them with cornstarch, add a few slivers of butter and top with a bit of sugar. They pile neatly in the crust and it’s easy to hold them in place while folding up the sides. It adds to the appearance to brush the sides with egg and sprinkle with sugar.

Pie Shells

I knew a woman who, wanting to monetize her hobby, rented a tiny, tiny shop in a food mall. She hung 3 signs; one over the door: The Pie Lady, a second on the door: Open 10 A.M-6 P.M. Friday and Saturday and a third in the window: Pies Made on Order Only. The first 2 weekends, on the stated days, she offered slivers of several different pies. From then on she had a waiting list and had to hire help in a couple of months. Everyone raved about her custard pies, especially Lemon Meringue. Her secret was making the shells of puff pastry. They were light, tasty and remained crisp longer even refrigerated. Her trick was to roll it thin, about ¼ inch, brush with beaten egg, poke some holes in the bottom with a fork, and cover it with oiled parchment paper weighted with rice, dry beans or pie weights, even another pie plate. Bake in a 450 deg. preheated oven about 12 min.