Perfect little puff pastry parcels filled with soft and luscious mushroom ragout, what’s not to like? We use to get these in my dad’s company Christmas package: prefab puff pastry cups and mushroom ragout in a can. Yuk. I really don’t like canned ragout, too gloupy for me.
But when you make it fresh it’s just delish! And it’s sooooo simple! The puff pastry cups are made with 2 layers of puff pastry with a little lid cut out. For the ragout you can use any myshrooms you like, so you can go all fancy and get mixed mushrooms at the market or just some chestnut mushrooms at the supermarket.
Mixed Mushroom Ragout
Ingredients
- Puff pastry shells:
- 8 sheets frozen puff pastry squares (or use a large puff pastry sheet)
- 1 egg yolk
- flour for dusting
- Ragout
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (see notes)
- 1 small onion, finely chopped.
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 300 g mushrooms of choice
- 1/3 cup sherry or white wine
- 2 cups hot chicken or vegetable stock + more if needed
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, roughly chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup (or 3 tbsp) all-purpose flour
- Small bunch parsley, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream (optional)
Instructions
Puff pastry
Preheat oven to 220˚C. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Fill a small bowl with water. Add the egg yolk to another bowl with a small splash of water and beat lightly.
On a lightly floured surface, gently lay 8 sheets of puff pastry and let them slightly overlap, stick them together with some water.
Roll the puff pastry into an even sheet. Sprinkle more flour as needed to keep the puff pastry from sticking.
Use a 10 cm cutter to cut out as many circles as possible from the puff pastry sheet (or use a large mug or a small bowl). You should get about 8-10 circles.
For half of the circles use a smaller 7 cm cutter (or a small glass) to cut out a smaller circle in the middle.
Arrange the uncut circles on the prepared baking sheets at least 4 cm apart. Brush the edges with water and top with the circles (with a hole), pressing down gently to seal.
Prick the circle and border all over with a fork. Arrange the smaller circles on the prepared baking sheet and prick with a fork. These will be the lids.
Brush the circles with borders and lids with the egg wash. Bake in preheated oven until golden, 10-12 minutes.
Mushroom Ragout
In a heavy based saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter (or olive oil) over medium heat.
Add the onion and sauté for 3-4 minutes until translucent and fragrant.
Add the garlic and thyme and sauté for 2 minutes until translucent and fragrant, don't let it brown.
Add the mushrooms and thyme and let them caramelize on 1 side first before turning them around. ± 7-8 minutes in total on medium heat.
Deglaze the pan with the sherry or white wine, turn the heat up to let the alcohol evaporate.
While the mushrooms are cooking, in a smaller pan add 2 tbsp of butter (or olive oil) and heat until foaming.
Add in the flour and stir to create a paste, cook for ± 2 minutes until golden, don't let it burn.
Slowly whisk in 1/2 cup of the hot stock until incorporated. Repeat with the rest, while you keep stirring. Add a bit more stock if needed until you're happy with the consistency.
Pour the mixture into the pan with the mushrooms and stir to combine well.
Cook until just thickened. Season as needed with salt and pepper, then stir in the cream and the parsley.
Divide among the puff pastry cups and serve straight away.
Notes
If you'd like to keep it vegan then replace the butter with olive oil and leave out the cream.
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