Ham in Puff Pastry Recipe
Ingredients
| Frozen puff pastry | 400 Gram | |
| 8 thin slices cooked ham | ||
| Button mushrooms | 400 Gram | |
| Onions | 2 Large | |
| Shallot | 1 Large | |
| Butter | 60 Gram | |
| Nutmeg | 2 Pinch, grated | |
| Gruyere cheese | 60 Gram, grated | |
| Double cream | 15 Milliliter | |
| Milk | 240 Milliliter (For the white sauce (bechamel):) | |
| Butter | 50 Gram (For the white sauce (bechamel):) | |
| Flour | 30 Gram (For the white sauce (bechamel):) | |
| Egg yolk | 1 (For the glaze:) | |
| Salt | To Taste | |
| Pepper | To Taste | |
| Salt | To Taste | |
| Pepper | To Taste | |
Directions
1. Thaw the pastry. Divide it into 2 and roll out each piece to a thickness of 3 mm (1/8 inch). With a round baking tin, mark out a circle on each piece of pastry. Sprinkle a baking sheet with water and place one circle of pastry on it.
2. Prepare the bechamel: melt the butter in a saucepan over a low heat and stir in the flour, making sure it does not brown. Add the cold milk a little at a time, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, and cook for 15 minutes. Season.
3. Remove from heat, and add the nutmeg, cheese and cream. Season and mix well.
4. Dice the ham. Cut the earthy base from the mushrooms, wash under running water and cut into strips. Peel the onions and shallot, and chop very finely.
5. Melt the butter in a frying pan over a low heat, and fry the shallot and onions for 10 minutes. Add the diced ham and mushroom strips. Turn the heat up and fry the ingredients for 10 minutes, stirring constantly with a wooden spatula, until most of the liquid has evaporated.
6. Preheat the oven to 230°C (450°F; gas mark 8).
7. Pour the ingredients from the frying pan into a bowl and slowly fold in the white sauce. Place this filling onto the pastry on the baking sheet. Dampen the edges with a little water and cover with the other circle of pastry. Press the edges together to seal. Brush the top with the egg yolk beaten with a little water to glaze. Bake for 20 minutes, then turn the heat down to 170°C (325°F; gas mark 3) and cook for a further 25 minutes.
2. Prepare the bechamel: melt the butter in a saucepan over a low heat and stir in the flour, making sure it does not brown. Add the cold milk a little at a time, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, and cook for 15 minutes. Season.
3. Remove from heat, and add the nutmeg, cheese and cream. Season and mix well.
4. Dice the ham. Cut the earthy base from the mushrooms, wash under running water and cut into strips. Peel the onions and shallot, and chop very finely.
5. Melt the butter in a frying pan over a low heat, and fry the shallot and onions for 10 minutes. Add the diced ham and mushroom strips. Turn the heat up and fry the ingredients for 10 minutes, stirring constantly with a wooden spatula, until most of the liquid has evaporated.
6. Preheat the oven to 230°C (450°F; gas mark 8).
7. Pour the ingredients from the frying pan into a bowl and slowly fold in the white sauce. Place this filling onto the pastry on the baking sheet. Dampen the edges with a little water and cover with the other circle of pastry. Press the edges together to seal. Brush the top with the egg yolk beaten with a little water to glaze. Bake for 20 minutes, then turn the heat down to 170°C (325°F; gas mark 3) and cook for a further 25 minutes.
Chef
