Asparagus Puffs
Ingredients
- 1 lb asparagus
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp chopped shallots
- ¼ tsp minced fresh thyme
- ¼ cup white wine
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 sheet puff pastry, defrosted in refrigerator overnight
- 1 whole egg + 1 egg yolk (egg wash)
Special Equipment
- medium to large sauté pan
- pastry cutter or pizza slicer
- pastry brush
- baking sheet
How-to
- Preheat oven to 350º
- Wash asparagus in cold water to remove any sand, then dry with paper towels. Cut asparagus stalks diagonally into ¼" slices, discarding the tough fibrous ends
- Heat olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat; add asparagus and sauté for 1 minute, giving the pan a stir or toss to heat all of the asparagus slices
- Add salt, pepper, shallots and thyme; stir to combine and cook for 1 minute. Add wine and cook down until almost dry. Add heavy cream; cook to reduce cream by half (it will begin to thicken)
- Add Parmesan cheese and stir until cheese is melted and smooth. Bring to a simmer, then remove from heat and spread mixture over a plate or pan. Let cool at room temperature, then place in refrigerator and cool completely
- While asparagus mixture is cooling, mix egg yolk and whole egg for an egg wash
- Cut puff pastry sheet into 2½" x 2½" squares and brush the pastry with half of the egg wash (reserve remaining egg wash for just before baking)
- Place 1-1½ tsp of chilled asparagus filling in the middle of each pastry square. One at a time, place each piece of pastry in the palm of your hand, lift two opposite corners and pinch together over the filling. Place pointed side up on a baking sheet and chill for 30 minutes in the refrigerator
- Once chilled, one at a time, again place each filled pastry in the palm of your hand and pinch together the remaining two opposite sides to form a purse shape (doesn't have to be perfect and some filling will spill out during baking but that's OK), and brush with remaining egg wash
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown and serve warm from the oven