Perfect party starters
Simple ways to turn frozen puff pastry into elegant treats
At the peak of the holiday party season, there are three things the well-prepared host ought to have at the ready: a swanky outfit, a festive playlist — and a package of puff pastry.
Store-bought puff pastry is frozen food pushed to the most elegant degree. Readily found in most supermarkets, it’s a breeze to work with, and, with minimal effort, the dough can be baked into an array of impressive treats.
Working with puff pastry is straightforward and easy, but a few smart moves will help you achieve stellar results.
First, try to find a dough made with butter rather than hydrogenated oils. Dufour is one high-quality brand that comes in an all-butter version as well as a very good vegan version made with palm fruit oil. But whatever you can find will still be magnificent as long as you take care when rolling it out.
Then, be sure to keep the dough cold while you work. This gives you more control and helps your puff gain some real altitude. If the dough starts to soften, throw it back in the fridge until it firms up again.
These recipes are at their flaky best still slightly warm from the oven. But they keep very well overnight if you want to bake ahead, which will give you more time for outfit-choosing and playlist-making — important preparations for the best party ever.
FIGS AND PIGS IN A BLANKET
Makes: About 2 dozen
Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes 1 cup/8 ounces dried figs, stems trimmed
Boiling water
All-purpose flour, for rolling 1 (14-ounce) package frozen puff pastry, thawed
4 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto or soppressata salami, coarsely chopped 1 egg, beaten
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan
Ground fennel seeds or black pepper, or a combination, for topping
Mustard, for serving (optional)
1. Place figs in a heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water. Let sit until soft and pliable, 5 to 10 minutes, then drain well. Coarsely chop and set aside. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. 2. On a lightly floured
surface, roll the chilled puff pastry out about ⅛-inch thick to form a 13-by-11-inch rectangle. Using a bench scraper or knife, cut the pastry in half lengthwise so you have two long rectangles. Evenly divide the figs between the rectangles, spreading them into a 1-inchwide strip that runs down the center of the pastry. Mound prosciutto on top of the figs.
3. Lightly brush the long edges of the pastry with egg wash. Firmly fold the pastry over the filling to form long rolls. Cut each roll in half crosswise, then slice into 1-inch pieces and place them on the prepared baking sheet, seam-side down. Cover with plastic or parchment and freeze for 30 minutes or refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 6 hours.
4. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly brush top of each roll with beaten egg and sprinkle with grated Parmesan and a pinch of fennel seeds or black pepper or both. Bake until golden brown, about 25 to 35 minutes. Serve with mustard on the side for dipping if you like.