eG Cook-Off 56: Savory-Filled Pastry

[David Ross]

I've probably had mine for over 20 years and the only thing that ever happened is one of the plastic handles came out of the hole it fits in. Superglue fixed that.

[Panaderia Canadiense]

David, have you ever come across super jumbo ones (like, 4-6" across?) I pleat all of my empanadas by hand, and have only come across the teeny ones that are good for personal consumption empanadas but not so hot for sale ones, which have to be big.

[David Ross]

This morning it's 22 outside and heavy snow that will fall into tomorrow.  So I happened to remember this Cook-Off and thought what a good day to go back and look through the thread for some ideas on making a savory filled pastry.  Right now I'm thinking empanadas based on what we discussed here, but this time doing them with crab.  I may serve it with my roasted tomatillo salsa.  I think these will be delicious in a warm home on New Years Eve and Day.  And with the convenience of grocery delivery, I won't have to venture out to a store today.  What kinds of savory filled pastries sound good to you?

 

[heidih]

Phyllo dough is my easy default and I like the crisp and flakiness. The boys were enamored of ones filled with a picadillo type mixture. I cut 4 or or 5 inch wide piece of dough, brushed with melted butter, generous dollop of filling and folded at angle back & forth so you end up with  cozy triangle. Brushed tops with butter and baked. For myself I preferred a spanakopita type filling folded in same manner. And hey the spinach can count as a lucky green  

[MokaPot]

2 hours ago, David Ross said:

This morning it's 22 outside and heavy snow that will fall into tomorrow.  So I happened to remember this Cook-Off and thought what a good day to go back and look through the thread for some ideas on making a savory filled pastry.  Right now I'm thinking empanadas based on what we discussed here, but this time doing them with crab.  I may serve it with my roasted tomatillo salsa.  I think these will be delicious in a warm home on New Years Eve and Day.  And with the convenience of grocery delivery, I won't have to venture out to a store today.  What kinds of savory filled pastries sound good to you?

 

 

Crab sounds great. Any kind of seafood sounds good: scallops, salmon, etc.

 

[Darienne]

Phyllo dough and Spanakopita definitely.  

 

Potato and pea filled Indian Samosas.  I rather keep them in the category of purchased rather than made.  Buy enough for two lunches, freeze them...and there they are for those kind of days...no work...just defrost and eat with tamarind sauce. 

[Katie Meadow]

I've always been partial to leftover curried vegetables as a pie filling. Basic potato, cauliflower, peas, carrots and spinach or other greens, etc baked in a double crust. Or a single top crust works for deep dish. Not too sweet dough, all butter crust. Served with chutney or pickle and cucumber raita and tart apple, sliced thin.

[Smithy]

I've been leaning toward spinach and feta baked in puff pastry - basically spanikopita turnovers (nod to @Darienne on that) - but I also very much like the sound of crab-filled pastry. How would one go about that, please? I have a package of puff pastry begging to be used.

[David Ross]

On 12/30/2020 at 7:51 AM, David Ross said:

This morning it's 22 outside and heavy snow that will fall into tomorrow.  So I happened to remember this Cook-Off and thought what a good day to go back and look through the thread for some ideas on making a savory filled pastry.  Right now I'm thinking empanadas based on what we discussed here, but this time doing them with crab.  I may serve it with my roasted tomatillo salsa.  I think these will be delicious in a warm home on New Years Eve and Day.  And with the convenience of grocery delivery, I won't have to venture out to a store today.  What kinds of savory filled pastries sound good to you?

 

Crab empanadas are not going to happen, at least right now.  The annual Dungeness Crab season probably won't happen due to many factors, Mother Nature, the annual price wars between the processors and the fishermen and women, and then this year, Covid.  Covid has impacted the canners, processors and some of the boats.  I might do crab empanadas with another type of crab in the next week if something looks fresh.  But onward to other savory filled pastries.

[KennethT]

I've been in the mood for a good curry puff - sort of like a SE Asian samosa... then again, a good samosa would hit the spot also!

[blue_dolphin]

21 hours ago, Darienne said:

Potato and pea filled Indian Samosas. 

 

Instead of potato & green peas, Vivian Howard's Deep Run Roots has a recipe for Rutabaga and Black-Eyed Pea Samosas with a Cilantro Buttermilk Sauce that I've been wanting to try.  Could be good for a New Year's project.  

I'm lacking both rutabaga and the spring roll wrappers she uses.  Obtaining both would require visits to 2 stores and that's not happening.  I can probably sub in another root and maybe use phyllo for the wrapper then bake instead of deep frying.   

Let's see what happens....

[heidih]

46 minutes ago, David Ross said:

Crab empanadas are not going to happen, at least right now.  The annual Dungeness Crab season probably won't happen due to many factors, Mot her Nature, the annual price wars between the processors and the fishermen and women, and then this year, Covid.  Covid has impacted the canners, processors and some of the boats.  I might do crab empanadas with another type of crab in the next week if something looks fresh.  But onward to other savory filled pastries.

 

Yup like every food processing industry. Would make me "crabby". A nice fat King Crab leg or 2 would yield nice firm flesh and is generally on sale for holiday feasting. The pricing well that is ongoing I think.

 

I was reminded of two simple fillings  When my sister the cheese nut (nicknamed Weisse Maus -white mouse as a child - had white blond hair) saw me do the phyllo triangles she grabbed some Brie from fridge, dolloped with leftover cranberry and folded it up to bake. Tasty snack. Heathen Heidi has used tuna salad as a filling. Just generic water pack. A few peas for a pop or craisins for sweet texture contrast are usually in my mix. 

Edited December 31, 2020 by heidih (log)

[MetsFan5]

I also have puff pastry that should be used. Can I use it to make. Beef Wellington? With a mushroom duxelle (I will need advice)? 

[jimb0]

On 12/30/2020 at 2:03 PM, Katie Meadow said:

I've always been partial to leftover curried vegetables as a pie filling. Basic potato, cauliflower, peas, carrots and spinach or other greens, etc baked in a double crust. Or a single top crust works for deep dish. Not too sweet dough, all butter crust. Served with chutney or pickle and cucumber raita and tart apple, sliced thin.

i made a curried turkey pie for lunch yesterday with some rando bowl of curry sauce i found in the fridge from last month. made it into a gravy with some flour and turkey stock, and chopped up the last of the turkey legs from christmas (incidentally this turkey was so good i've ordered two more from the farm and plan on keeping them in the freezer for a while). 

 

i was in the mood to make a pastry since i've had a bowl of grated butter sitting in the freezer for a month, now, and i wanted the bowl back. quick 3-2-1 dough, folded a few times, rolled out a turned into a free-form tart on a sheet. such a great way to use up leftovers.

 

26 minutes ago, MetsFan5 said:

I also have puff pastry that should be used. Can I use it to make. Beef Wellington? With a mushroom duxelle (I will need advice)? 

 

of course?

 

there are a few threads on this that might be of interest:

 

 

 

Edited January 1, 2021 by jimb0 (log)

[David Ross]

4 hours ago, MetsFan5 said:

I also have puff pastry that should be used. Can I use it to make. Beef Wellington? With a mushroom duxelle (I will need advice)? 

Yes, I've done that.  But the thing I do is either use slices of prosciutto or thin crepes as a barrier between the puff pastry and the mushroom duxelle.  That helps keep the moisture from getting into the pastry so the inside isn't soggy  It's a technique I saw on a Gordon Ramsey video. 

[Dejah]

At Xmas 2019, I made four Beef Wellingtons for family dinner at our daughters.  She has a double oven so it worked perfectly. As before, we made it without any bacon, prosciutto . Just made sure the duxelle was not watery.

 

                                                                                           

No such gathering this year due to Covid-19  Level Red in Manitoba, so it was Wellington for two.

 

 

                                                                                           

 

 

Due to various health issues - extreme acid reflux on my part, which took me to ER because of previous cardiomyopathy episodes, and hubby's ongoing "Saga of Rolling Stones" - Kidney stones, that is, I didn't get to make these Moroccan Spiced Beef Cigars until today. I usually have dozens of these made up and frozen for parties in the past, but there was no need nor the rush to make them this year. But I have been thinking about them, so I made them this afternoon. There is a yogurt-based dip that came with the original recipe, but we like them with salsa.

 

                                                                                            

 

 

[BetD]

6 minutes ago, Dejah said:

I didn't get to make these Moroccan Spiced Beef Cigars until today. I usually have dozens of these made up and frozen for parties in the past, but there was no need nor the rush to make them this year. But I have been thinking about them, so I made them this afternoon. There is a yogurt-based dip that came with the original recipe, but we like them with salsa.

 

                                                                                            

 

 

 

 

I would love more information on these, since I can’t just reach over and snag a couple... they look so tasty 😋 

[Dejah]

4 minutes ago, BetD said:

 

 

I would love more information on these, since I can’t just reach over and snag a couple... they look so tasty 😋 

Not sure about posting recipes on the forum so I've sent it to you via message

 

[shain]

7 hours ago, Dejah said:

There is a yogurt-based dip that came with the original recipe, but we like them with salsa.

 

They look great. Try them with a sauce of tahini with lemon, and maybe some tomatoes. Being vegetarian I haven't had one in years, but that's the popular way to help them around here.

[Wait. Wot]

On 6/28/2011 at 8:25 PM, Kerry Beal said:

I have a hankering to make Jamaican patties.

Whien I was in Jamaica we found a patty shop early in our two week stay. We went back the next day and bought 36 of them for the four of us for rest of our stay.

[heidih]

1 hour ago, Wait. Wot said:

Whien I was in Jamaica we found a patty shop early in our two week stay. We went back the next day and bought 36 of them for the four of us for rest of our stay.

I lost my connection These used annatto so eating in car resulted in Cheetos looking fingers. Such a comfort food to me. 

[David Ross]

I'm getting ready to do some huckleberry empanadas this week.  I looked over my post up-thread regarding the 3 types of dough I originally tried and found my pastry-pie crust dough worked best.  But now I wonder, do you deep-fry or bake your empanadas?  Do you prefer the text and flavor of the fried empanada pastry?  

[heidih]

With a sweet berry filling I personally prefer fried. Gives me more of a contrast.

[David Ross]

1 minute ago, heidih said:

With a sweet berry filling I personally prefer fried. Gives me more of a contrast.

Thanks that's where I am leaning and I think the baked empanada dough sometimes tastes heavy, at least mine do.

[Tropicalsenior]

Thanks @Smithy for telling me about this cook-off. I make stuffed pastries almost every Sunday and I'm running out of ideas for fillings. The ones that I make are with a brioche type dough but I guess they still fit in this category, and I'm happy to restart the thread.

My favorite ones to make are Char Siu Bao.

This week's offerings were A variation on Russian piroshki.

 

Last night I made Kafka on flatbread and I enjoyed the seasoning in the meat so much that I am going to try it next Sunday in some sort of stuffed bun.