Turkey & Chestnut Pastry Slice

Turkey & Chestnut Pastry Slice

Turkey & Chestnut Pastry Slice

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Does that turkey you cooked keep on giving? With New Year’s celebrations just around the corner, it’s wise to tuck away a portion of that leftover turkey for my Turkey & Chestnut Pastry Slice. Chunks of turkey, shiitake mushrooms and shallots marry with cream cheese and topped with cranberry sauce and roasted chestnuts. It’s a wonderful combination tucked inside flaky and golden puff pastry. This Turkey & Chestnut Pastry Slice makes a lovely appetizer and can be made several hours ahead and baked when ready to serve.

A basket of chestnuts on a wooden board ready to be sliced for Turkey & Chestnut Pastry Slice.
Assesmbly of Turkey & Chestnut Pastry Roll on a parchment lined tray and egg wash on the side.

The roasted chestnuts are an added step but give a little sweetness and texture to this dish, plus the extra chestnuts are great to eat on their own or as part of an appetizer or dessert board. Roasted chestnuts are also great as a sweet puree used in other desserts or made into jam. Here’s a couple of ways to use up the extras from The Spruce Eats, that is if they make it that long.

Vegetarian and Vegan Roasted Chestnut Soup

Chestnut Stuffing

A golden baked Turkey & Chestnut Pastry Slice served whole on a wooden board garnished with fresh parsley.

I’d like to wish everyone a happy and healthy year ahead! I look forward to creating and sharing great recipes with you. This blogging side hustle of mine is what keeps me sane some days, focusing my thoughts on delicious food and having fun with my passion. Have a Happy New Year and all the best in 2021.

Slices of Turkey & Chestnut Pastry Slice arranged on a grey plate with cranberry sauce and fresh thyme.

Author:  Compelled to Cook

Slices of Turkey & Chestnut Pastry Slice arranged on a grey plate with cranberry sauce and fresh thyme.
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Turkey & Chestnut Pastry Slice

Course Appetizer
Keyword appetizer, chestnuts, cranberry sauce, cream cheese, entertaining, gruyere, leftover turkey, mushrooms, party food, puff pastry, sage, shiitake
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 25 minutes
Resting Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 pound fresh chestnuts
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 ounces thinly sliced shiitake mushrooms
  • 1 shallot finely diced
  • 4 ounces cream cheese
  • 1/2 tsp dried sage
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 1 cup cooked turkey, diced small
  • 2 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated
  • 1 sheet puff pastry
  • 1/3 cup cranberry sauce
  • 1 large egg

Instructions

  • Preheat oven 400°F.
  • Bring a medium pot of water to a simmer, meanwhile rinse chestnuts and cut a slit across the rounded side of the chestnut being careful not cut into the meat too much. It helps to lay the chestnut flat and use a sharp knife or a chestnut knife. Once the water is at a simmer drop in the chestnuts, cover and simmer on low for 10-12 minutes.
  • Drain chestnuts and arrange in a single layer on a baking tray with the cut side up. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and cover with a kitchen towel and allow to cool enough to handle. Once cool split open the shell by prying apart at the cut seam to remove the outer shell and release the meaty chestnut.
  • Coarsely chop 10 chestnuts and save the remainder for another use. They are great eaten as they are or as a salad topper, in stuffing and many desserts.
  • Increase oven temperature to 425°F.
  • Heat olive oil in a medium skillet and add shallots and mushrooms. Sauté until soft and moisture from the mushrooms has evaporated, about 5-7 minutes.
  • In a medium bowl cream together cream cheese, sage, salt, pepper. Fold in the sautéed mushrooms, diced turkey and Gruyere cheese.
  • Lay the sheet of puff pastry on a sheet of parchment big enough for your baking tray. Roll pastry to a 12"x12" square (the original sheet will be 10"x10"). If using a block of puff pastry roll out to 12"x12".
  • Cut 1" wide fingers that are no more than 4" long down parallel sides of the pastry square, leaving an uncut center strip that is at least 4" wide (see photo).
  • Spread the turkey mixture evenly along the uncut center portion of the pastry sheet.
  • Spread evenly with cranberry sauce and top with chopped chestnuts.
  • Wrap the pastry by bringing the pastry fingers across the filling, alternating sides as you go and tucking or crimping the ends. It's okay to have a few spaces between fingers.
  • Using the parchment, move pastry to your baking tray.
  • In a small bowl whisk together egg and 1 tbsp of water. Brush the prepared pastry with egg wash and bake for 25-28 minutes on middle rack.
  • Remove from oven and allow to rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing and serving. The center will firm up a little as it cools making it easier to slice and eat.

Notes

-While chestnuts are boiling, baking and cooling you can assemble the pastry roll up until topping with chestnuts for optimal usage of time.
-The Turkey & Chestnut Pastry Slice can be prepped up to the egg wash, cover well and refrigerated up to 3 hours in advance.  When ready, brush with egg wash and bake.

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Apricot Brandy Sparkler

Apricot Brandy Sparkler

Cheers to a new year with Apricot Brandy Sparkler!

Apricot Brandy Sparkler is my way of saying goodbye to 2018 and cheers to the new year ahead. Can you believe another year is already over?  Where has the time gone?  It is the sentiment I have often felt, but with the approaching new year, I have a sense of accomplishment and a strong purpose moving forward.  While 2018 was still a year of routine, plucking forward just trying to keep up with work, household and blogging, it was also a year that a few things got done.

One of my greatest joys this year was the construction of our new deck/outdoor space, and for many, it would not be a big deal.  For me however, it was a project that was put off for a variety of reasons for many, many years.  It was also designed and built by my husband, who did an amazing job. It ’s a beautiful space, complete with furniture and gas fireplace.  I love it and couldn’t be happier to share it with family and friends or simply sit quietly spending quality time with my husband.  

The Year Ahead…

The past year was also a year of learning and working hard to create our first video for Mark Bouliane/Overland Explorer, which follows my husband and me on our over-landing adventures.  Creating and editing video is definitely a skill and has its own set of challenges. We are both excited to improve this skill and have fun being creative.  We hope it’s the first of many videos for both of us, which leads me to another goal for 2019.  Video production for Compelled to Cook is set for my 2019 to do list, as is monetizing my food blogging efforts.  Both are substantial goals for myself but definitely in the realm of possibility.  The learning, progress and firsts are what excites me for 2019.  So, even though 2018 must go, the new year looks amazing and I’m ready to get started.  How about you?

Author: Compelled to Cook, from “Cooks Workshop” Cocktails & Party Drinks 1984

Apricot Brandy Sparkler
Print Recipe
    Servings Prep Time
    1 cocktail 10 minutes
    Servings Prep Time
    1 cocktail 10 minutes
    Apricot Brandy Sparkler
    Print Recipe
      Servings Prep Time
      1 cocktail 10 minutes
      Servings Prep Time
      1 cocktail 10 minutes
      Ingredients
      Servings: cocktail
      Instructions
      1. Combine vodka, apricot brandy, lemon juice, and Grenadine in a cocktail shaker. Fill half full with ice. Shake until cold, about 30 seconds. Pour into a champagne glass and top with champagne. Serve immediately.