Mushroom wreath

WITH CAMEMBERT Makes a delicious party platter!

Makes 1 decadent wreath • Preparation: 30 minutes Baking time: 45 minutes • Oven temperature: 200°C

• a knob of butter

• 15ml olive oil

• about 21 button mushrooms

• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

• 2 leeks, white portions finely chopped

• 1 fennel bulb, finely chopped

• 1 roll (400g) frozen puff pastry, thawed

• 1 egg, beaten

• 1 wheel of Camembert

1 Melt the butter and oil and brown the mushrooms. Remove, reserving the oil in the pan. Season the mushrooms to taste with salt and pepper and your favourite spices – keep it simple or try a sprinkling of lemon zest, a pinch of paprika or ground cumin.

2 Fry the garlic, leeks and fennel until soft and fragrant. Season to taste with salt and pepper. You can add some of the fennel’s delicate leaves at the end for fresh flavour.

3 Preheat the oven. Open out the roll of puff pastry and, using a 7cm circular cookie cutter, make 21 dough circles; brush beaten egg around the edges. Place a teaspoon of the leek mixture on each circle, topped with a mushroom. Pinch the dough closed on each side of the mushroom to form a ‘shell’ and arrange the shells in the form of a wreath on a sheet of baking paper on a baking tray (see photo).

Leave a gap in the middle for the Camembert.

4 Brush the wreath again with egg and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and place the Camembert in the centre.

Bake for a further 15–20 minutes or until the pastry is cooked and the cheese is softened and warmed through. Cut a cross in the centre of the hot cheese so everyone can dip their pastry bites.

Tip Use any leftover leek mixture on a toasted ham and cheese sandwich or with a tin of tomatoes in a pasta sauce.