The savory croissants stuffed with Neapolitan broccoli rabe and cheese are delightful finger food snacks to prepare for a picnic, as an appetizer, for aperitifs or for a buffet. The Neapolitan “friarielli”, with their characteristic bitter note, are nothing more than the just-developed inflorescences of the turnip tops. Generally, friarielli are paired with sausages, creating an extraordinary combination of flavors and aromas; this time, however, I’ve paired them with a flavorful sweet Auricchio provolone. The savory croissants stuffed with Neapolitan broccoli rabe and cheese will be a real hit and will be snapped up during aperitifs.
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 1 Hour
- Portions: 8 croissants
- Cooking methods: Stove
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Fall, Winter, Christmas
Ingredients
- 1 roll Puff Pastry (round)
- 1.1 lbs Broccoli Rabe (cleaned)
- to taste Auricchio Provolone
- 1 clove Garlic
- to taste Extra virgin olive oil
- to taste Coarse salt
Preparation
1) Let’s prepare the broccoli rabe. Remove almost all of the stems, keeping only the intact green leaves and inflorescences. Wash them under running water and drain them.
2) Heat some oil with a clove of garlic in a large pan. When the garlic is browned, add the broccoli rabe, some coarse salt, cover, lower the heat, and wait a few minutes until the greens start to wilt. Turn the broccoli rabe in the pan to distribute the salt evenly, cover, and let them cook until they are very tender. Drain any cooking liquid to avoid spoiling the puff pastry.
3) Preheat the oven to 392°F and, in the meantime, cut the cheese into cubes. Use cheeses that don’t release whey during cooking.
4) Unroll the puff pastry and cut it into 8 triangles. Stuff each triangle as shown in the photo and roll them starting from the wide base to the tip. Place the croissants on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and bake them in the middle of the preheated oven for about 20/25 minutes, until they become well puffed and golden. Remove them from the oven and let them cool slightly. They are delicious even cold, so they can be made well in advance.
If you want to prepare them for a buffet, cut 12 triangles instead of 8. We will get small-sized croissants perfect for finger food to enjoy with delightful alcoholic or non-alcoholic aperitifs.
