Cheesy Puff Pastry Squares: a simple and quick appetizer to prepare. Perfect for an aperitif, a buffet dinner, or a different kind of main course.
The Cheesy Puff Pastry Squares, are not just a simple savory pie. It’s a rustic but elegant preparation, perfect for a buffet or an aperitif with friends. Each square becomes an irresistible bite that immediately invites you to have another.
To fill them, I used cooked ham and smoked provola cheese, but you can customize them as you prefer. Before baking, cut the pastry so you won’t serve a crumbled pie trying to cut it but will have finger foods ready to detach with a perfect heart of smoked provola.
Now let’s see how to prepare the cheesy puff pastry squares.
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- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very cheap
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 6People
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 2 sheets puff pastry (round)
- 3.5 oz cooked ham (thinly sliced)
- 3.5 oz smoked provola cheese (thinly sliced)
- 1 egg
- to taste poppy seeds
Tools
- 1 Baking sheet
- 1 Fork
- 1 Brush
- 1 Pizza cutter
How to make cheesy puff pastry squares
Unroll the first puff pastry sheet directly onto the baking sheet, keeping its original parchment paper.
Evenly distribute the slices of cooked ham over the pastry, leaving about 1/2 to 3/4 inches from the edge. Cover the cooked ham with the slices of smoked provola cheese.
Lay the second puff pastry sheet over the filling. Seal the edges well by pressing with the tines of a fork along the entire circumference.
Gently prick the surface with the fork to prevent it from puffing up too much. In a bowl, beat the egg and brush the entire surface. Sprinkle with poppy seeds.
With a pizza cutter, cut the pastry, creating vertical and then horizontal lines to form squares.
Bake in a preheated static oven at 350°F (180°C) and let cook for about 25 minutes. The pastry should be puffed and of a beautiful deep golden color.
Remove from the oven and enjoy.
Storage
Keep them in an airtight container for 1-2 days. To restore the crispiness, heat them for a few minutes in the oven or air fryer.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Can I substitute the cooked ham?
You can use speck or mortadella
Can I substitute the smoked provola cheese?
The provola can be replaced with white scamorza, edam, or emmental. I don’t recommend mozzarella as it would release too much water.
Can I substitute the poppy seeds?
If you don’t have poppy seeds, use sesame seeds or dried oregano.
