Tasty Christmas Eve puff pastry pies: a quick and easy delight
Preparing a traditional Christmas Eve dinner takes time. It's worth planning tasks over several days to make it easier so you don't make all the dishes at the last minute. It's also helpful to choose dishes you can prepare on the stove and in the oven. Puff pastry pies will be ready in less than 30 minutes on one condition: you must prepare the filling in advance.
4:03 PM EST, November 29, 2024
The secret to successful pies for borscht lies in their rich filling. The dough should not dominate; it should only wrap around the inside. In this role, a store-bought sheet of puff pastry will work perfectly. The buttery and crispy layer will highlight the aromatic filling of sauerkraut and wild mushrooms.
How to prepare the filling for puff pastry pies?
You need about 1 oz of dried mushrooms. They can be porcini, boletus, or a mix of different mushrooms. Soak them in warm water and leave them for 1 hour. After this time, they should become soft. Remove, drain, and chop them into small cubes. Do not pour out the mushroom water; it will be useful in the next step.
Heat a pan, add a tablespoon of butter, and sauté finely chopped onion. When it smells nice, add the chopped mushrooms. Squeeze the sauerkraut, place it in the pan, and pour in the mushroom-soaking water. Add salt, pepper, 2 bay leaves, and allspice. Leave it in the pan until the water evaporates. Check if the cabbage and mushrooms are soft. If not, add water and heat for a bit longer. Transfer the ready filling to a bowl and let it cool.
Can you use frozen mushrooms for the pie filling?
If you have mushrooms sautéed with onion in the freezer, you can use them. Put them on a heated pan, and when they are soft, add the squeezed sauerkraut. A little butter won't hurt. Also, check if there are enough spices.
Recipe for quick pies to serve with Christmas Eve borscht
You can take out the puff pastry once you have the prepared and cooled filling. Immediately preheat the oven to 390 degrees Fahrenheit. The preparation of the pies will take you literally 5 minutes.
Ingredients:
- 1 sheet of puff pastry,
- 1 egg,
- sauerkraut and wild mushroom filling.
Instructions:
- Beat the egg in a small bowl. Roll out the puff pastry sheet on a board. Cut it in half lengthwise.
- Place the previously prepared filling along the longer edge of each sheet. Brush the other edge with the egg. Starting from the filling side, roll the dough into a roll. Cut into pies about 1.5 inches wide.
- Place the pies on a large baking sheet lined with baking paper. Brush the tops with the remaining egg. You can additionally sprinkle them with nigella seeds or sesame seeds.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.
