Sausage Bites with Pine Nuts

It's been quite some time since I updated the blog but that doesn't mean I haven't been experimenting with new recipes.  This recipe is for a fun / pretty easy appetizer.  Most of the bites were good - some were a little soggy but I think that can be attributed to my oven cooking a tad uneven.  I didn't use pine nuts because we had friends over that have a nut allergy (although I think pine nuts would have been okay, I didn't want to risk it).  I found the recipe here.

Ready to go in the oven

The finished product

Ingredients: 

• 2 tbsp butter or margarine
• 1 medium onion or 3 medium shallots, minced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 package (14 oz) mild or hot Italian Sausage
• 1 tsp dry thyme
• 1 tsp dry basil
• 2-3 tbsp fresh chopped dill
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 sheet of frozen puff pastry, thawed according to instructions
• 1/3 cup grated parmesan (optional)
• 1 egg for glazing, whisked with a small pinch of salt and 1 tbsp water until smooth
• Sesame, Caraway, dill or fennel seeds for decorating

Directions: 

1. In a skillet, melt margarine over medium heat
2. Add minced garlic and onion, and saute for 5-6 minutes, until fragrant and translucent. Let cool until manageable
3. Mix sausage, onion+garlic, thyme, basil, fresh dill, salt and pine nuts in a bowl, until uniform and smooth.
4. Roll out the puff pastry out on a lightly floured surface into 4 strips 3 inches wide and about 12 inches long.
5. Arrange sausage stuffing into a 1″ inch roll in the middle of the strip, taking care to reach all the way to the edge on short end of the strip.
6. Sprinkle a portion of parmesan on top of the sausage stuffing
7. Spread some egg wash along one of the long edges of the dough.
8. Carefully fold the dough over the sausage stuffing, closing the seem.
9. Roll the sausage filled dough pipe on the board a little bit to ensure uniform thickness and to seal the seam.
10. Proceed with the remaining dough and stuffing.
11. When all pipes are ready, spread the egg wash all over them, and sprinkle the seeds of your choosing on top.
12. Preheat the oven to 425F.
13. Cut each pipe into 12 1″ bites.
14. Arrange the bites on a baking sheet 1″ apart.
15. Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden and crisp.  Serve warm

Soppressata & Cheese Pastry Bake

If you've read the blog, you know that my neighbors and I have "Friday Appetizers for Dinner" most Friday nights.  This past Friday was no exception, so we held it again!  I made a puff pastry dish that I found here.  While I think it was good, it could use a little more "kick" next time.  I'm thinking of adding a sauce that we found at a restaurant on the Sassafras River (Rockfish Johnnie's Spice Sauce) and I think that will do the trick!  I wish I had a good picture of the appetizer but that will have to be posted next time I make it!

The one thing I'll mention is to be sure you thaw the puff pastry sheets in advance of when you actually want to start cooking!  :-)  (I obviously failed to notice that part of the instructions the first time!)


Ingredients:

• 1 package (2 sheets) frozen puff pastry, such as Pepperidge Farm, defrosted
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 12 thin (not paper thin) slices soppressata salami (3 1/2 inches in diameter)
• 6 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated
• 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Place a piece of parchment paper on a sheet pan.

Lay one sheet of puff pastry on a floured board and lightly roll into a 10-inch square. Place it on the sheet pan and brush the pastry with all the mustard, leaving a 1-inch border. Arrange the soppressata in overlapping layers on the mustard and sprinkle the grated cheese evenly on the soppressata, also avoiding the border. Brush the border with the egg wash.

Lightly roll the second piece of puff pastry into a 10-inch square. Lay the pastry directly on top of the first square, lining up the edges. Brush the top with the egg wash, cut three large slits for steam to escape, and chill for 15 minutes.

When the pastry is cold, trim the edges with a very sharp knife to make a clean edge. Bake the pastry in the center of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, turning once while baking, until puffed and brown. Allow to cool for a few minutes, cut in squares, and serve hot or warm