Meatless Monday Idea

Looking for easy ooohs and awwws? 

Whip up this elegant and filling vegetarian treat. 

Halved in size they make a fabulous "heavy" appetizer. Started out as a puff pastry tart, but the bottom never quite crisped up. 

If there's one thing I cannot abide, it's a soggy bottom. A minor brainstorm and tada ... savory puff pastry hand pies!

Mushroom, Leek, Goat Cheese Savory Hand Pies

Ingredients:

1 package puff pastry, thawed

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 tablespoon EVOO

2 small leeks, white & pale green parts (halved lengthwise 

then thinly sliced crosswise, rinsed & drained

4 or 5 large chopped white button mushrooms

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup goat cheese

1 tablespoon ground parmesan

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

flour (as needed for rolling)

1 egg white (mixed with 1 teaspoon water as egg wash)

Directions:

Place oven racks in top and center positions. Heat oven to 400 degrees F.

Melt butter and EVOO in a medium sauté pan set at medium heat. When foaming

subsides add sliced leeks and a sprinkle of salt & pepper. Stir often until softened

but not yet beginning to color, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook stirring

often until vegetables begin to color, about 5 minutes more. Remove from heat.

Add goat cheese, thyme, and parmesan. Mix thoroughly. Set aside to prepare pastry

for filling and folding.

Lay one pastry sheet on parchment sized to fit on a baking sheet. Cut three even

rectangles from each sheet. Place generous spoonful of filling slightly off center of

each rectangle, but don’t overfill or they will be difficult to seal. Use your finger to

moisten edges of dough with a little egg wash. Fold dough over in half so edges

meet. Press together with your fingers to seal. Cut three vents to allow steam to

escape during baking that allows pastry to crisp. Lift onto baking sheet. Refrigerate

until chilled, about 15 minutes before baking. Bake in center rack for 20 minutes

or until golden in color. Makes six.

I don’t simply vent mine anymore. Decided to try pastry cutters, use the cut

out to cover the spot offset it was cut from. Using the egg wash to “glue” it in

place. I am a shameless pastry decoration addict. :-)