Puff Pastry Pizza Squares with Balsamic Duxelles Recipe

Kate Heyhoe | Great Bar Food at Home | John Wiley & Sons, Inc, 2007 | Serves 3, as bar bites

A duxelles is essentially finely chopped mushrooms, sauteed until they lose their liquid and reduce down to a coarse spread — simple, but effective. This recipe brightens the traditional duxelles treatment with balsamic vinegar and soy sauce. Cook the duxelles in advance, if you wish. Then, with sun-dried tomato pesto in the pantry, a box of puff pastry in the freezer, and a wedge of Brie in the fridge, voila! You’ve got delicate, flaky pizza bites whenever the mood hits.—Kate Heyhoe

Active time: 30 minutes | Total time: 1 hour.

Puff Pastry Pizza Squares with Balsamic Duxelles Recipe

Ingredients

| metric conversion

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons minced shallot or onion
2 large garlic cloves, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
6 ounces finely chopped portobello mushrooms
1 teaspoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
Salt, to taste
1 sheet frozen puff pastry
3 tablespoons prepared sun-dried tomato pesto
3 to 4 ounces Brie, rind removed
1 scallion, chopped (both green and white parts)

Directions

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1. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot and garlic and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring, until the mushrooms release their juices and most of the liquid evaporates, about 8 minutes. Stir in the soy sauce and vinegar and continue cooking until the liquid is absorbed, another 2 minutes or so. Add salt to taste. (The duxelles may be refrigerated up to 1 week or frozen up to 2 months; bring to room temperature before using.)

2. Thaw the puff pastry according to manufacturer’s directions (usually 30 minutes). Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

3. Unfold the pastry sheet. Slice through the folds and across the sheet, cutting the pastry into 9 squares. Arrange the pastry pieces on an ungreased baking sheet. On each piece, smear some tomato pesto, then top with duxelles, followed by a lump of Brie, and sprinkle with scallions.

4. Bake 15 to 18 minutes, until the pastry puffs and browns and the cheese melts. Let the pastries rest a few minutes, then serve hot or at room temperature.

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Stilton Pinwheels With Walnuts and Honey from Leite’s Culinaria