10 Creative uses for puff pastry
1st Jan 2015 Recipes
Puff pastry is such a versatile product. Make sure you have some in your fridge or freezer and you’ll never be stuck for meal ideas. You can make a tart, use it as a pizza base, top a pie with it, make pastries and more. Here are 10 of our favourites.
Many people will remember learning to make puff pastry at school. It was such a long process of rolling, adding butter and folding. If you have the time and enjoy making pastry then great, but the quality of shop bought pastry these days is so good that you really don’t need to bother making it from scratch.
Chilled ready rolled puff pastry is always a good option as it’s so convenient and quick. Take it out of the fridge while you prepare your other ingredients, then just unroll it, cut it and you’re done. No more flour flying around the kitchen and smudged on your face.
Bombay potato bites
Image via The Veg Space
These puff pastry bites are super simple to make but they taste wonderful. Spicy and comforting, they are made with just two ingredients and you can have them on the table in under half an hour.
Serve them as an exciting lunch with salad or at your next get together with friends or family as the perfect sized nibble.
Cheesy baked bean pasty puffs
Image via Fuss Free Flavours
Nursery food at its best, these are easy to make but completely satisfying.
Serve them simply as they are for breakfast or lunch, or why not serve them with potato wedges and vegetables for a dinner that’s sure to make you smile.
Cheesy vegetable puff pie
Image via Tinned Tomatoes
Another cheesy delight, this time, a pie. A selection of seasonal vegetables lightly cooked and coated in a luxurious cheese sauce, popped into a pie dish, topped with puff pastry, then baked until golden and tempting.
Make this pie for your next Sunday dinner and serve with roast potatoes and vegetables. You’ll love it.
Vegetarian sausage rolls
Image via Thinly Spread
Everyone loves a sausage roll, especially when it’s fresh out of the oven. All hot and fragrant with that flaky, flaky pastry.
Vegetarian sausage rolls can be made with a veggie sausage wrapped in pastry and baked, but they just don’t have the flavour that these sausages rolls have.
These are filled with a mixture of cheese, mustard, Crème Fraiche, herbs and spices that taste divine.
Quick and easy asparagus and Parmesan tarts
Image via Feeding Boys
This tart is so elegant but so simple to make. Ready rolled pastry is the star of the show once more.
Simply cut into four rectangles, top with a creamy base, some seasonal asparagus and a salty cheese finish with a sprinkling of Parmesan.
Parmesan isn’t suitable for vegetarians, but there are several veggie alternatives available.
Rosemary mushroom tart
Image via Vegan Family Recipes
This flavourful savoury tart is suitable for vegans as it’s dairy free, but everyone will enjoy it. It’s the perfect quick midweek dinner.
Mushrooms are sautéed with onions and garlic until they are oozing with flavour, then teamed with their perfect partner rosemary. Serve this tart with a dressed green salad.
Puff pizza pie with pesto
Image via Tinned Tomatoes
This puff pastry pizza really is a revelation. They are sensational and so easy to make.
Use ready rolled puff pastry and cut around a saucer for size, then top with your favourite toppings.
A classic Margherita combination with a little pesto drizzled on before it’s baked is perfect.
Balsamic peach and Ricotta tarts
Image via The Veg Space
These tarts are actually a sweet savoury tart. Perfect for lunch or starter served with salad. Unlike the other recipes, in this one the pastry tarts are baked then the filling is added once they have cooled a little. A wonderful combination of flavours and textures.
Easy mixed berry and apple pot pies
Image via Fuss Free Flavours
Don’t you just want to grab a spoon and dive into one of these pies? The mouth-watering flavours of seasonal berries (although you can use frozen) gently sweetened and topped with flaky puff pastry.
Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or hot golden custard.
Nutella Palmers
Image via Thinly Spread
Palmers are an indulgent tea time treat and perfect with a cuppa, but did you know how easy they are to make with a roll of ready rolled puffed pastry?
Simply top your pastry with your filling, spreading it evenly, then roll in from each side to meet in the middle and slice before baking. These tempting treats are filled with Nutella and are dairy free.
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Jacqueline Meldrum is a freelance food writer and recipe developer. Jacqueline blogs at Tinned Tomatoes.
