100 Savory Puff Pastry Snacks in Just 30 Minutes!
Puff Pastry Snacks are a quick and easy recipe, an ideal finger food to bring to the table at brunch time, for a party buffet or to propose as an appetizer for an evening with friends, even organized at the last minute. They are prepared with a ready-to-use puff pastry and three different fillings: ricotta and spinach, tomato and mozzarella, ham and scamorza.
To make them to perfection: just blanch the spinach, squeeze it, chop it and mix it with ricotta, parmesan, salt, pepper and nutmeg until you get a smooth mixture; in a separate bowl mix together the tomato puree, oil, salt and dried oregano. Once you have cut the cheeses into cubes, simply divide the puff pastry rectangle in half, distribute the three fillings, cover with a second layer of pasta and cut with a knife until you form a grid.
All that remains is to brush the surface with a little beaten egg yolk and milk and that's it: after baking, the result is fragrant morsels, crunchy on the outside, stringy and creamy on the inside, which will please both adults and children alike.
What Are Puff Pastry Snacks?
Puff pastry snacks, often celebrated for their delicate flakiness and buttery flavor, trace their origins back to ancient culinary traditions. Early forms of layered dough can be found in Egyptian and Middle Eastern cuisines, where simple unleavened dough was enriched with oils and folded repeatedly. However, the modern puff pastry as we know it was perfected in France during the 17th century by Claude Lorrain, a French pastry cook, who refined the lamination technique of folding butter into dough to create countless layers.
Over time, these pastries evolved into versatile treats, popular for both sweet and savory applications. Across Europe, especially in Italy, puff pastry became a canvas for regional flavors. Italian salatini—bite-sized puff pastry snacks—emerged as a beloved appetizer, filled with local ingredients like prosciutto, cheeses, or anchovies.
Pro Tips for The Best Puff Pastry Snacks
- Opt for high-quality, all-butter puff pastry for a rich flavor and superior flakiness. If you're making it from scratch, use cold, unsalted butter and high-gluten flour.
- Puff pastry performs best when kept cold. Chill the dough before rolling and ensure the working surface is cool to prevent the butter from melting.
- Roll the dough evenly to maintain consistent thickness, ensuring uniform baking and preventing some snacks from overcooking or undercooking.
- When cutting the pastry, use a sharp knife or pastry cutter to avoid crushing the delicate layers, which can hinder the puffing process.
- Once you've shaped or filled your snacks, chill them again for 10-15 minutes before baking to firm up the butter and maintain the shape during baking.
- Use a moderate amount of fillings to avoid tearing the pastry or creating soggy spots. Balance flavors to let the puff pastry shine.
- Brush the surface lightly with an egg wash (a mixture of beaten egg and water or milk) for a golden, glossy finish.
- Puff pastry requires high heat (around 200°C/400°F) to activate the steam that makes it rise. Preheat your oven thoroughly for the best results.
- Line your baking tray with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even browning.
What Else Can I Use For The Fillings?
Of course, you can customize them with whatever you prefer or what you have available in the fridge and pantry: you can try with sautéed zucchini and caciocavallo cubes, sautéed mushrooms and stracchino (also vegetable), speck and fontina, roasted peppers and spreadable cheese, tuna and ricotta and whatever your instinct and imagination suggest.
How Do I Keep These From Getting Soggy?
To prevent puff pastry snacks from getting soggy, use dry or pre-cooked fillings to minimize moisture. Brush the pastry base with an egg wash before adding fillings to create a barrier. Bake the snacks on a preheated baking sheet to encourage even heat distribution, which helps crisp the bottom. Finally, cool them completely on a wire rack to avoid trapped steam, keeping them crisp and flaky.
Can I Make These Ahead of Time?
Yes, puff pastry snacks can be made ahead of time! Prepare and shape them, then refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Bake directly from the fridge when ready to serve for the best freshness and crispiness. Avoid fully assembling with wet fillings too far in advance to prevent sogginess.
Do They Freeze Well?
Yes, you can freeze puff pastry snacks! Assemble them fully (without baking), place them on a tray to freeze until firm, then transfer them to an airtight container or freezer bag. Bake straight from frozen without thawing, adding a few extra minutes to the baking time for fresh, flaky results.
How to Store Puff Pastry Snacks
To store leftover puff pastry snacks, let them cool completely, then place them in an airtight container. Store at room temperature for 1-2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) for a few minutes to restore crispness before serving. Avoid microwaving, as it can make them soggy.
Ingredients
How to Make Puff Pastry Snacks
To begin, boil the spinach in salted boiling water for 3-4 minutes, then drain and transfer them to a bowl filled with iced water, so that they cool quickly.
To begin, boil the spinach in salted boiling water for 3-4 minutes, then drain and transfer them to a bowl filled with iced water, so that they cool quickly.
Then proceed to squeeze them well, so that the filling is not watery.
Then proceed to squeeze them well, so that the filling is not watery.
Chop them finely with a knife, then transfer them to a bowl and add the ricotta, grated parmesan, salt, pepper and powdered or grated nutmeg, then mix everything well until you obtain a smooth mixture.
Chop them finely with a knife, then transfer them to a bowl and add the ricotta, grated parmesan, salt, pepper and powdered or grated nutmeg, then mix everything well until you obtain a smooth mixture.
Take care of the second filling: pour the tomato puree into a bowl and season it with a drizzle of oil, a pinch of salt and a little dried oregano, then mix thoroughly with a spoon.
Take care of the second filling: pour the tomato puree into a bowl and season it with a drizzle of oil, a pinch of salt and a little dried oregano, then mix thoroughly with a spoon.
Proceed by cutting the mozzarella into slices first, then into strips and finally cut into cubes, repeating the same operation with the scamorza.
Proceed by cutting the mozzarella into slices first, then into strips and finally cut into cubes, repeating the same operation with the scamorza.
Roll out the two rectangular puff pastry rolls and, using a knife, divide them in half lengthwise.
Roll out the two rectangular puff pastry rolls and, using a knife, divide them in half lengthwise.
Stuff two of the rectangles: arrange the slices of ham and cover them with scamorza, then spread the tomato sauce and add the mozzarella, finally add a few spoonfuls of ricotta and spinach mixture.
Stuff two of the rectangles: arrange the slices of ham and cover them with scamorza, then spread the tomato sauce and add the mozzarella, finally add a few spoonfuls of ricotta and spinach mixture.
Cover with the second rectangle of puff pastry, making sure it fits well with the filled one.
Cover with the second rectangle of puff pastry, making sure it fits well with the filled one.
Press along the edges with your fingers, so as to seal the puff pastry perfectly. Proceed in the same way with the second roll of puff pastry.
Press along the edges with your fingers, so as to seal the puff pastry perfectly. Proceed in the same way with the second roll of puff pastry.
Cut the puff pastry with a knife, forming vertical and horizontal lines, thus obtaining identical squares of about 2-3 cm per side, then brush the surface with a beaten egg yolk together with a drop of milk.
Cut the puff pastry with a knife, forming vertical and horizontal lines, thus obtaining identical squares of about 2-3 cm per side, then brush the surface with a beaten egg yolk together with a drop of milk.
Bake in a static oven preheated to 360°F/180°C for 20 minutes, remove from the oven when the pastry is puffed up and golden. Let it cool, then divide the pastry squares, breaking them with your hands or with the help of a knife.
Bake in a static oven preheated to 360°F/180°C for 20 minutes, remove from the oven when the pastry is puffed up and golden. Let it cool, then divide the pastry squares, breaking them with your hands or with the help of a knife.
Enjoy!
Enjoy!
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