This puff pastry star appetizer is a shocking savory twist on the viral puff pastry star. Crammed with creamy ricotta, prosciutto and melty mozzarella, it bakes right into a golden, pull-apart antipasto for vacation entertaining.
The vacation season requires one thing festive on the desk, and this puff pastry star appetizer is a stupendous savory possibility for any gathering. As an alternative of a candy pastry design like my puff pastry sweet cane or puff pastry Christmas timber, this model is Italian-inspired and full of ricotta, prosciutto and cheese that bake into crisp, golden layers with a tender, melty heart.
If you happen to take pleasure in my savory Christmas timber, this recipe is the proper addition to your vacation appetizers. It has a stupendous Christmas star look with a wealthy taste that disappears shortly at any social gathering.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Simple to assemble: Easy steps and a handful of components come collectively into a stupendous vacation starter.
- Make forward pleasant: Assemble the festive Christmas puff pastry star appetizer earlier within the day and chill it till baking time, so it’s prepared when friends arrive.
Ingredient Notes
- Puff pastry: Use one spherical sheet of thawed puff pastry. If you happen to favor to make it from scratch, attempt my home made puff pastry recipe. If utilizing store-bought rectangular sheets, trim and form right into a circle so the star folds evenly.
- Ricotta or cream cheese: Ricotta retains the filling mild and creamy, whereas cream cheese provides a richer texture. Drain ricotta if it appears very moist so the pastry stays crisp.
- Prosciutto, ham or salami: Any thinly sliced cured meat works. Prosciutto provides probably the most basic Italian taste, whereas ham or salami give a barely heartier chunk.
- Melting cheese: Small cubes of mozzarella, fontina, gruyere or swiss soften superbly contained in the pastry. Select a agency cheese so it doesn’t leak throughout baking.
- Olives: Black or inexperienced olives can be utilized to safe the information of the star and stop them from lifting within the oven. Complete or halved each work.
- Milk: Brushing the pastry with milk helps it change into golden and crisp. Cream works too for a barely richer shade.
- Oregano: A pinch or two provides a lightweight Italian taste on high of the ricotta.
- Seeds: Sesame seeds or poppy seeds add a pleasant ornamental end and just a little crunch as soon as baked.
The right way to Make a Puff Pastry Star Appetizer
Place the spherical puff pastry on a sheet of parchment paper. Utilizing a pointy knife or pizza cutter, make 8 cuts from the periphery towards the middle, stopping about 2 inches earlier than the center. Flip the pastry barely and make 8 extra cuts in between the primary ones so you find yourself with 16 equal factors.
Unfold the ricotta over the bottom of the pastry, leaving a small border across the edges. Place a small folded piece of prosciutto and a dice of cheese on the high of every giant wedge the place the purpose begins.
Take the tip of every giant wedge and pull it towards the middle to cowl the filling. Press the perimeters frivolously to seal. Repeat with all the big wedges till the middle kinds a closed star form.
Add a small dice of cheese to every of the smaller interior triangles. Fold every level outward over the cheese and safe it with an olive so the information keep in place whereas baking.
Sprinkle the ricotta with a pinch of oregano. Brush the pastry with milk and add sesame or poppy seeds for texture.
Slide the parchment onto a baking sheet and chill the star when you preheat the oven. Bake till the pastry is puffed and golden. Serve heat.
recipe suggestions
- Preserve the pastry chilly: Chilly puff pastry rises increased and retains its star form. If it begins to melt when you work, pop it within the fridge for a couple of minutes.
- Use small quantities of filling: A light-weight layer of ricotta and small items of prosciutto and cheese assist the factors fold neatly and stop any leaking whereas the pastry bakes.
- Lower clear, even factors: Sharp, even cuts give the pastry a uniform pull-apart form as soon as baked. A pizza cutter works particularly nicely for getting easy traces.
- Chill earlier than baking: Chilling the assembled star for 15 to twenty minutes helps the layers puff up superbly within the oven and retains the filling in place.
- Watch the colour: For one of the best flaky texture, bake till the pastry is puffed and a deep golden brown. Undercooked puff pastry can flatten because it cools.
- Serve heat: This savory puff pastry star appetizer is at its finest straight from the oven when the cheese is melted and the layers are crisp.
Variations
- Pesto star: Unfold a skinny layer of basil pesto below the ricotta or substitute the ricotta fully with pesto for a extra basic taste. Strive my pesto pinwheels for an additional straightforward puff pastry thought.
- Spinach and cheese: Stir a handful of chopped cooked spinach into the ricotta for a light, savory twist. Be certain the spinach is well-drained so the pastry stays crisp.
- Mushroom and fontina: Add a small spoonful of finely chopped sautéed mushrooms with a dice of fontina in every level for a heat, earthy Italian taste. Strive my mushroom puff pastry appetizer for an additional thought.
- All-cheese model: Skip the prosciutto and use a mixture of mozzarella, fontina and a contact of grated Parmesan for a vegetarian possibility.
That is one in all our favourites, puff pastry star appetizer! The right vacation recipe. Buon Appetito!
- 1 spherical puff pastry (thawed)
- ¼-⅓ cup ricotta cheese or cream cheese
- 8 slices prosciutto, ham or salami (or combination)
- 8 cubes agency mozzarella, fontina, gruyere or swiss cheese
- 4-8 black / inexperienced olives
EXTRAS
- 1-2 tablespoons milk
- 2-3 pinches oregano
- 1-2 tablespoons seeds (poppy or sesame)
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Place the spherical puff pastry on a sheet of parchment paper. Utilizing a pointy knife or pizza cutter, make 8 cuts from the periphery towards the centre, stopping about 2 inches / 5 cm earlier than the center. Flip the pastry barely and make 8 extra cuts in between the primary ones so you find yourself with 16 equal factors. (see photographs)
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Unfold the ricotta all around the base leaving a 1 inch / 2 cm boarder.
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Place folded piece or a bit of prociutto or pancetta and a bit of cheese on the high in the course of every triangle (watch out of the quantity as you may be closing the puff pastry over it). Then, take every tip of the wedge and convey it towards the centre, fully masking the filling. Repeat this course of for each suggestions of the wedge and seal the puff pastry over the filling. Wetting your fingers with water will assist to seal the perimeters.
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Add a small dice of cheese to every of the smaller interior triangles. Fold every level outward over the cheese. Safe the information with a black olive (complete or reduce in half) so they do not rise throughout cooking. Sprinkle the ricotta with oregano. Brush the pastry with milk and sprinkle with sesame and/or poppy seeds.
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Place the star on a big baking sheet and chill for 20 minutes whereas the oven is pre-heating to 375F/190C.
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Bake for about 20-25 minutes or till golden brown. Serve instantly. Get pleasure from!
The right way to retailer the Puff Pastry Star Appetizer?
Retailer leftovers in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 2 days. Reheat within the oven to deliver again the flaky texture. I don’t suggest freezing since puff pastry can lose its mild, crisp layers as soon as thawed.
Energy: 62kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 2g | Fats: 5g | Saturated Fats: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fats: 1g | Monounsaturated Fats: 2g | Trans Fats: 0.01g | Ldl cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 100mg | Potassium: 36mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 0.2g | Vitamin A: 62IU | Vitamin C: 0.01mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 0.3mg | Phosphorus: 36mg
recipe FAQs
Sure. You possibly can assemble the star and preserve it coated within the fridge for as much as 6 hours earlier than baking. Brush with milk and add the seeds proper earlier than it goes into the oven so it bakes up golden and crisp.
Completely. Prosciutto is conventional, however ham or salami work nicely too. For the cheese, select one thing that melts properly reminiscent of mozzarella, fontina or gruyere.
Puff pastry wants to remain chilly. If it softens when you’re assembling the star, place it again within the fridge for a couple of minutes. Additionally be certain that your oven is absolutely preheated earlier than baking.
Retailer leftovers in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 2 days. Reheat within the oven to deliver again the flaky texture. I don’t suggest freezing since puff pastry can lose its mild, crisp layers as soon as thawed.
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