Flaky & Delicious Mushroom & Havarti Puffs

As a child, my parents often hosted a large Christmas Eve party for family & friends. The dinner that my mom cooked was of a different cuisine every year, but the appetizers were pretty much always the same. Some of those traditional starters included meatballs, spicy oyster shooters, and of course, potato balls from Porto’s. In addition to these items, my mom always baked up a slew of savory, puff pasty hors d’oeuvres! One batch would be filled with seasoned ground beef, and the other batch would be filled with roasted red bell peppers and spinach. The best part was that my brother, grandma, dad, and I were always allowed to have a warm pastry straight out of the oven before guests arrived! The flaky pockets were, of course, delicious and a special treat that I looked forward to my mom making every holiday season! The following recipe is inspired by my mother’s joy of cooking, old family traditions, and my obsession with all things puff pastry.

Like my mom, I often prepare my puffs with ground beef, but instead of bell peppers and spinach for the vegetarian option – I combine mushroom and cheese instead. I’ve used goat cheese and brie over the years but fell in love with the Dill Havarti from Trader Joe’s back in 2020 and find that this particular cheese pairs perfectly with the mushrooms. It also melts wonderfully which is an ideal quality for any puff pastry appetizer. Not to mention – the havarti is much easier to work with in comparison to crumbly chevre and sticky brie. Please note that you can use any cheese that suits your fancy in this recipe. Fontina, pepper jack, white cheddar, gouda, gruyere, provolone, and mozzarella are just a few great melting cheeses that you can swap in, if you’re not a fan of havarti or cannot find it in your local market.

Okay, time to cook…

INGREDIENTS

• Whole Crimini Mushrooms [ 1 Small Pack // 2 Cups ] 
• Butter or Olive Oil [ 1 Tablespoon ] 
• Garlic [ 2 Cloves Finely Chopped or 1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder ]
• Thyme [ Dried or Fresh ] 
• Crushed Red Pepper [ A Sprinkling – About 1/4 Teaspoon ]
• Salt [ A Few Sprinkles – About 1/8 Teaspoon to Start] 
• Fresh Ground Black Pepper [ A Few Turns of the Mill ]
  ———————————–
• Cooked Mushrooms [ Room Temperature ]
• Havarti Cheese [ 8 Pieces ]
• Puff Pastry [ 2 to 4 Sheets ]
• You’ll need enough to create 8 squares that are about 4 inches on each side.
  

TOOLS

• Cutting Board
• Sharp Knife
• Sauté Pan
• Cooking Spoon
• Tablespoon
• Nonstick or Standard Baking Sheet
• Parchment Paper or Foil
• Oven

EXTRAS

• A glass of wine or a cold beer!

YIELD

This recipe makes 8 puffs. Simply double or triple the ingredients to make more.

Step One

Have fun! 

Step Two

Defrost your puff pastry sheets in the fridge overnight or on the counter for a few hours per the instructions provided by the brand of pre-made puff pastry you decide to use.

FUN FACT: Pepperidge Farm was my go-to brand of puff pastry until Trader Joe’s started carrying their own.

Step Three

Cook your mushrooms.

• Wash, dry, and slice up the criminis.
• Add the mushrooms into an empty pan over medium heat.
• Dry sauté them for a few minutes which means to cook them without oil or butter.
• You can sprinkle in a bit of salt to speed along the process since salt draws out moisture.
• It should take about 5 or so minutes until most of the water located within the mushrooms is released from the fungi, and all of the liquid evaporates from the pan.
• Once majority of the water has been cooked out, you’ll notice that your mushrooms have vastly decreased in size.

Season your mushrooms.

• Lower the heat, and add a tablespoon of butter or a splash of olive oil to the pan of mushrooms.
• Throw in your garlic, crushed red pepper, fresh ground black pepper, and thyme.
• Give everything a stir, and cook for 2-3 minutes until all of your spices and herbs are incorporated.
• Taste the mushrooms and add a sprinkle of salt at a time until the shrooms are seasoned to your liking.

Remove your pan from the heat so the mushrooms can cool.

Step Four

Slice the havarti into 8 rectangular pieces that are about a quarter inch thick & two inches long. Set them aside for later.

Step Five

Preheat your oven to 400° once your puff pastry is defrosted & your mushrooms have come to room temperature.

Step Six

Use a tablespoon to divide the cooled mushrooms into eighths.

QUICK TIP: I do all of this in the pan that I cooked my mushrooms in so I don’t have to wash any extra dishes 😉

Step Seven

Unwrap the pre-made puff pastry, and place the sheets onto a lightly floured work surface. Cut the dough into squares that measure about 4 inches on either side. Gently score the center of the pastry squares with a diagonal line using the back of a knife. This will help in the stuffing and folding process.

NOTE: If you don’t want to make triangle shaped pastries, you can score the dough with a horizontal or vertical line across the center of the square to create rectangular shaped pastries. Whatever floats your boat my friends. You could even use a cookie cutter or glass to cut out circles if you prefer. I have made all three of these shapes over the years so pick your favorite!

Step Eight

Grab a nonstick baking sheet OR line a tray with parchment paper. If you don’t have parchment paper, foil works just as well.

Step Nine

Bring the mushrooms and havarti cheese to your work station to begin the stuffing process.

Start by adding a scoop of mushrooms to one side of each of your puff pastry squares. Next, place a piece of havarti on top of the mushrooms. Easy peasy my friends!

Step Ten

Fold the squares in half and pinch the seams together. To fully seal the pastry pocket, use a fork to crimp the edges.

Step Eleven

Once your pockets have been built, place them on your baking sheet and slide the tray into the freezer to cool for a few minutes since pastry bakes best when the butter in the dough is nice and cold!

Step Twelve [ Optional ]

If you want to add an egg wash to the top of your pockets before baking, feel free. This classic technique will aid in browning and also add a glossy finish to your puffs. I used to incorporate this step but rarely do anymore.

Step Thirteen

Bake your pastry pockets for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.

QUICK TIP: In order to not overcrowd the pan and oven – I, oftentimes, bake four to six pastries at a time. While the first batch is in the oven, I build the next batch since I have multiple baking sheets.

Step Fourteen

Remove the Mushroom & Havarti Pastry Puffs from the oven, and allow to cool for a full 5 to 10 minutes. Trust me when I say that you will burn your mouth if you try to eat these straight out of the oven. Resist the urge my friends – as hard as it may be 😉

Step Fifteen

Plate up your puffs & enjoy!

Happy Cooking!