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.
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.
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.
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.
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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Beef Taco Crostata is tasty and fun with flaky pastry, taco seasoned beef and endless topping options. It’s like a taco pie without the pie plate. For convenience, you could use purchased pie dough but I’m partial to finding the time to make my own, especially this one, because of the added maize (corn flour). Since corn flour is gluten-free the pastry is very tender because there is less gluten than if you used all regular flour.  Corn flour also has a nice fine texture which aids in a lighter, flakier crust as well. Â
The ground beef is cooked with onions and green pepper and then seasoned with a taco seasoning blend for flavour and spiciness. Black beans add texture, fibre and Mexican flair. Cheddar cheese brings everything together. The fun comes adding a variety of toppings to suit your taste. I happen to like shredded lettuce, green onions, avocado, cilantro and sour cream. Other options may include salsa, jalapenos, guacamole, tomato, red onion and black olives. Go crazy with the toppings and enjoy it, it’s a fun family meal.
Combine flours and salt in a large bowl. Cut in butter chunks until pea-size or smaller. Drizzle with 4-5 tbsp of cold water and the vinegar tossing with a fork until dough becomes scraggly. Add another tbsp of cold water if necessary. Turn mixture out onto a clean work surface and knead until dough comes together. Form into a flat disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least an hour.
Return to medium heat and add spices and water, stirring to combine. Allow mixture to come to a simmer and cook uncovered until most of the moisture has evaporated, about 10 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in beans and half of the cheese.
Preheat oven to 375°F and line a large baking tray with parchment.
Roll dough into a 14" circle that will be about 1/8" thick. Fold dough in half and move to your prepared baking tray.
Spread beef mixture in the centre of the dough leaving a 1 1/2"-2" border of dough. Fold the dough border up and over the beef mixture, crimping the dough slightly as you go.
Whisk egg with a tbsp of water and brush onto exposed pastry edge. Bake for about 35 minutes until pastry is golden.
Remove from oven and top centre with remaining cheese. Cut into wedges and serve with desired toppings.
Recipe Notes
-The pastry can be made up to a day in advance and kept chilled until ready to use.
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Galettes are easy to love with their flaky, rustic pastry and sweet or savoury fillings. Apple Galette with Almond Pastry comes together easily and tastes just as delicious as apple pie. It’s the perfect ending to your entertaining occasions, but particularly Thanksgiving when apple desserts are sought after.
What is a galette anyway? A galette is a free form tart that can be made with sweet fillings such as berries and apples or savoury fillings like chicken and mushrooms. They’re unique in the way the pastry is shaped around the filling into a rustic form without the use of a pie dish. This eliminates the need for a top crust and fussy crimping, yet the filling stays snuggly in place.
What makes a good galette? Like a traditional pie, a lot depends on the pastry and this means using cold butter that is cut into the dry ingredients until crumbly and the butter bits are no bigger than the size of a pea. It’s also very, very important to use ice-cold water. This helps keep everything just a little bit colder, especially the butter which tends to soften as you work with it. Keeping everything as cold as possible helps the butter hold its size, which will create flaky layers when it melts during baking. There’s no need to overfill a galette, it’s meant to be flatter than a pie. So resist the urge to pile your filling sky high because the filling needs to cook at the same time as the pastry.
In a large bowl combine flour, almond flour, sugar and salt. Cut butter cubes into the dry ingredients using a pastry cutter or a knife until the flour is crumbly with small bits of butter.
Drizzle water and vinegar over flour mixture and toss with a fork until dough just starts to come together. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and work gently to bring everything together and the dough has smoothed out.
Roll dough into a ball and then flatten into an approximate 6" disk. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least one hour.
Apple Filling
Peel and core apples and then cut them into thin slices. Drizzle slices with the lemon juice as you slice to prevent oxidization.
To the apples add the sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg. Toss to combine.
In a small bowl whisk together egg and milk.
Preheat oven to 375°F.
On a lightly floured surface roll dough to an approximate 13" circle adding a sprinkle of flour to the top and bottom as you go to prevent it sticking.
Trim dough to a neat 12" circle by using a plate or pie plate as a guide (see note). Roll dough onto your rolling pin and transfer to a large parchment-lined baking tray.
Pile filling in the centre and spread out towards the edge leaving a 1 1/2" border of plain dough.
Fold the dough edge up and over the filling, crimping slightly as you go around. Sprinkle the apples with dots of butter. Brush the pastry with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar if desired. Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes until the pastry is golden and apples are tender.
Remove from oven and allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing into wedges and serving with ice cream.
Recipe Notes
-The pastry does not have to be a perfect circle. If you'd like a nice rustic look you can leave it as you roll it as long as it is an approximate 12"-13" in diameter and 1/8" thick.
-If you like a neater look you can also arrange the apple slices in a concentric circle. I'm partial to piling the apples in as they fall.
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It’s all about mom! Surprise her in bed with a warm, flaky danish and a cup of coffee. I know I would be thrilled at such a gesture. This lovely Cherry Almond Danish is made with ready-made puff pastry and can be assembled ahead of time, making it easy to have ready for the oven. With its flaky pastry, fruity filling and cream cheese layer this danish makes for a perfect brunch item for Easter, Mother’s Day or any entertaining occasion.
Using pre-made puff pastry gives you peace of mind that it will be flaky and golden with very little effort. The cherry sauce has a hint of almond flavouring as does the sticky sweet glaze and it’s topped with toasted almonds. It’s a combination I love and it’s so easy to make, giving you no excuse not to treat that special lady or welcomed quests.
Combine cherries and sugar in a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat until cherries are soft and syrupy about 10 minutes.
In a small bowl whisk together 1 tbsp of cornstarch and 1 tbsp cold water. Stir into cherries and whisk constantly over medium-high heat until mixture comes to a full boil.
Remove from heat and stir in almond extract. Allow to cool for about 10-15 minutes.
Preheat oven to 425℉ and line a heavy baking sheet with parchment.
In a small bowl cream together cream cheese, 1 tbsp of powdered sugar and vanilla.
Lay puff pastry sheet on parchment and stretch slightly in width and length to 11-12".
Using a pastry scraper or knife cut 1" wide fingers on the top and bottom third of pastry (length of fingers will be 3-4") and the centre 4" portion will be uncut (see photo).
Spread cream cheese evenly along the centre uncut 4" portion of pastry.
Spread cherry filling evenly on top of the cream cheese filling, leaving the fingers uncovered.
Pull fingers across filling, alternating sides as you go (it's ok to have some small spaces in the pastry). Tuck any excess pastry underneath.
In a small bowl whisk together egg and 1 tbsp milk or cream. Brush generously onto pastry.
Bake in preheated oven for 25-28 minutes until golden and puffed. Remove from oven to a cooling rack for 5 minutes.
Glaze
In a small bowl whisk together 1/2cup powdered sugar and 1 tbsp milk or cream. Drizzle over pastry while warm and sprinkle with toasted almonds.
Serve warm, cutting into 1 1/2" slices.
Recipe Notes
-Toast almonds in a preheated 350℉ oven for 10-12 minutes, stirring once.
-Using a pastry cutter to cut fingers allows a clean cut without cutting through the parchment.
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Need another meatless option for Lent? This recipe can easily be made without the bacon. Or perhaps you’re looking for an elevated appetizer for Easter, or you simply want a wonderful make-ahead option for other entertaining occasions. This gorgeous Mushroom Gruyere Tart has you covered. Meaty mushrooms are smothered with cream cheese and herbs, topped with gruyere and baked in a puff pastry shell.
It’s a simple yet elegant pastry to add to your table whether as a main course item or appetizer. I quite like it for lunch served with a green salad. It’s one of my personal favourites because it uses everyday ingredients, is easy to prepare and can be made in advance and baked fresh when you’re ready. It smells amazing when baking and the combination of crispy puff pastry and creamy mushrooms is oh so drool worthy.
Love mushrooms? You’ll want to check out these wonderful recipes.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. If using bacon, add to skillet and cook until crisp and fat has rendered. Scoop out the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Remove all but a tablespoon of fat.
If not using bacon, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Add wine, thyme, salt and pepper and cook until the wine has cooked out about 3 minutes.
Stir in cream cheese, 1/4 cup of Gruyere and bacon (if using).
Preheat oven to 425℉ and lightly spray a 4 3/4"- 5 3/4" x 14" tart pan with removable bottom. Fit puff pastry into the tart pan and trim the top so it is level with the pan. You will need to cut the puff pastry sheet in two pieces to make it fit.
Spread filling evenly into pastry shell and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup of grated gruyere. Bake for about 25 minutes until golden and filling is bubbly.
Allow tart to rest for a couple of minutes prior to removing the outer pan. Cut into wedges, garnish with fresh thyme and serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
The tart can be assembled up to a day in advance and kept covered and chilled until ready to bake.
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