Puff the magic pastry - recipes

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Chicken sausage roll. Picture: Bongiwe Mchunu

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• Tasty, healthy – and quick!

TOMATO AND MASCARPONE TARTS

Makes 8

2x250g sheets of butter puff pastry, defrosted

250g mascarpone cheese

about 40 baby vine tomatoes

salt and pepper

olive oil for drizzling

beaten egg for glazing

shredded basil

Cut each sheet into four squares. Score a border of about 1cm on the inside of each square. Prick the inside of the square with a fork.

Add a generous spoonful of mascarpone cheese to the inside of each square. Top each square with about 4-5 tomatoes.

Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with a little olive oil.

Bake at 200°C for 15-20 minutes until the pastry is puffed and golden brown.

Remove from the oven and serve sprinkled with shredded basil.

CHICKEN SAUSAGE ROLL

Serves 6-8

2x400g packets of chicken sausages or 800g chicken mince

250ml fresh breadcrumbs

½ bunch of spring onions, chopped

125g chopped mushrooms

125ml dried cranberries

60ml chopped parsley

salt and pepper

1 egg, beaten

400g roll of frozen puff pastry, defrosted

beaten egg for glazing

Remove the meat from the sausage casings.

Place in a bowl and mix with the breadcrumbs, spring onions, mushrooms, cranberries, parsley seasoning and the egg. Mix well.

Unroll the pastry onto a baking tray that has been lined with non-stick baking paper. Place the chicken mixture down the centre of the pastry.

Using a sharp knife cut the pastry on either side of the filling into 2cm thick strips.

Starting at the one end, fold the pastry strips over the sausage mixture, alternating sides. Make sure the filling is covered.

Brush with beaten egg.

Bake at 200°C for 30-40 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown.

Remove and cool slightly before slicing to serve.

CHICKEN POT PIES

Makes 6-8

Filling

30ml olive oil

30g butter

1 small onion, chopped

1 carrot, peeled and diced

1 stalk of celery, finely chopped

½ small red pepper, diced

½ yellow pepper. diced

50ml flour

250ml milk

salt and pepper

500ml cooked chopped chicken

400g roll of puff pastry, defrosted

beaten egg for glazing

Heat the oil and butter in a pot and cook onion, carrot, celery and peppers until soft.

Add flour and cook for a minute. Add the milk, stirring constantly until the mixture is boiling and thick.

Season to taste.

Remove from the heat and stir in the chicken. Set aside to cool.

Spoon the mixture into individual ovenproof containers.

Unroll the pastry and cut out discs to fit the top of the containers.

Brush the top of the pies with beaten egg.

Cut a few slits in the pastry and decorate with pastry leaves if desired.

Bake at 200°C for 20-30 minutes until the pastry is golden brown.

Remove and serve warm.

FLAKY CUSTARD TARTS

Makes 10-12

3 egg yolks

125ml castor sugar

30ml cornflour

125ml cream

180ml milk

5ml vanilla extract

2x250g sheets of butter puff pastry

Beat the egg yolks, castor sugar and cornflour until smooth. Heat the cream and milk in a pot to just under boiling. Add to the egg mixture and mix well.

Return the mixture to the pot and cook over a medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens. Remove and cool completely.

Stack the two sheets of pastry on top of each other. Roll up the stacked pastry like a Swiss roll to form a log. Chill the pastry in the freezer for 10 minutes.

Slice the log into 1.5cm thick slices. Flatten each slice into a disc with your fingers then on a lightly floured surface roll out the discs so that they fit into a muffin pan.

Press the discs into the muffin pan and chill in the freezer for 10 minutes.

Divide the cooled custard between the muffin pan and bake at 180°C for 20-30 minutes until pastry is golden brown and the custard is puffed up and golden.

Remove and cool in the pan for 5 minutes before placing on a cooling rack. - The Star

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