BreakFast in the TreeHouses
The Best of the Breakfasts!
 
Today: PUFF PASTRY TRIANGLES

One of My Favorite Things!
First of All, Puff Pastry is Good!
So they’re Always Good!

Secondly, use store bought Puff Pastry from the Freezer Case!
As Janet the Magic Treehouse Kitchen Sorceress said to me years ago when she taught me these treats, “We make Everything from scratch. Except our Puff Pastry.
Because with the Wonderful Ones on the market, to make your own, you’d have to be…” and she affably rolled her eyes in a gesture that clearly read as “Plum Loco!”
Now, if you’re the kind of Chef who makes your own, I think that’s Great — If you can do it, and you have the time, How Marvelous!
Invite me over for BreakFast!
But for most of us, it can be prohibitively time consuming.
I did try making it from scratch once, years ago — and it made me realize that I am not ashamed to acknowledge my limitations.

According to Wikipedia , references to Puff Pastry, or Pâte Feuilletée, appear before the 17th century, indicating a history that came to France originally through Muslim Spain and was converted from thin sheets of dough spread with olive oil to laminated dough with layers of butter.
Fascinating!
As LIN-MANUEL MIRANDA says in HAMILTON, “Immigrants! We get the job done!”

Well, the Fun Part of this is the Fillings!
This is where it becomes a wildly Creative Project!

The first step is to cook up some fillings you might like…

Sauté some Diced Peppers — Red and Green, and Even Yellow.
(You can even sauté some extras when making the  Sausage Rolls, and save them for this!)

Dice some Onions and Sauté ‘em.

I prefer Vidalia Onions, but if all you have on hand is Red Onions, those will work too!

(Again, you can double up with the Sausage Roll Recipe , and save them for this recipe — just make a lot, and you’ll have enough for both.)

Fry up some Sausage Meat.
(Again, you can fry up a lot and use it for both recipes. Notice a pattern here?)

Have some Cheeses on Hand: Shredded Cheddar, Shredded Mozzarella, Perhaps a Mexican Blend, Crumble some Feta Cheese, maybe slice some Brie (All separately, of course).
Lots of Grated Parmesan. (Vitamin D is Good for You!)

Maybe fry up some Bacon and Crumble it.

Sauté some Mushrooms (I would always add plenty of garlic and some chopped parsley)

Sauté some Spinach (I would always add plenty of finely diced (or pressed) garlic, like we did for the Egg Bake Yesterday .

(All of the above can be done the day before, and refrigerated in separate bowls, covered, or in food storage containers.)

Then the Day you are ready to play, put it all together!
First, Scramble some Eggs, and break ‘em up into manageable chunks.
Put ‘em in a bowl.
Chop some Fresh Red Ripe Tomatoes.
Put ‘em in a bowl.

Lay out all of your Bowls of Ingredients.
Take out your Puff Pastry, and cut it into squares.
At the TreeHouse Kitchen, we buy it pre-cut into 5-inch squares, though smaller size squares will work, if you want to make mini-triangles…
You must work rapidly with Puff Pastry — thaw it first, but it thaws fairly quickly; then it is workable for a short window of time, after which it gets too soft and becomes difficult to work with…

You can wet the edge first a bit to help it stick together when folded — Melted Butter, Egg Wash, or even just Water works well.

Put Filling on a diagonal in the center of the square.
Fold over the dough, from one corner to the opposite corner to form the shape of a triangle, and crimp with a fork moistened in warm water.
Then, place completed pastries onto a tray lined with parchment paper and freeze ‘em like that.
After they have been frozen for 24 hours, you may take them off of the tray and store them closer together in plastic zipper bags, for further, more compact storage (Once they have already been frozen, they will not stick together — but be sure to put them right back in the freezer and do not let them thaw! Puff Pastry is delicate and can thaw fairly quickly.)

When you wish to bake them, take out a few, put them onto a cookie sheet or baking tray lined with parchment paper, and brush the top with an egg wash (i.e.: a well beaten egg mixed with 2 tsp of water).
Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes (less for the mini-triangles), or until they are puffed and lightly golden brown in color.

YUM!

I Like to Listen to Music when I cook.
I especially like PlayLists of Standards — songs that can fade into the background at the moments when I’m concentrating, but have something Beautiful to discover in the Lyric, when I’m at the more mindless tasks and can listen more, or sing along.
NANCY LAMOTT is a Favorite!

Some of my Favorite Filling Combinations include:

“Gina Lollobrigida”

Scrambled Egg
Sausage
Peppers & Onions
Parmesan
Mozzarella Cheese

“All American”

Chopped Ham and Cheddar Cheese

“Pour L’Amore De L’Alsace”

Brie and Caramelized Onions, Gorgonzola and a hint of Tarragon
(You may add Crumbled Bacon to this, or not)

“Pig, Cow & Chicken”

Scrambled Egg with Bacon (or Ham) and Cheddar

“Jimmy The Greek”

Scrambled Egg
Feta Cheese
Chopped Tomato
A touch of Oregano

“Danny DeVito”

Sausage
Peppers & Onions
Parmesan
Mozzarella Cheese

“Alice’s Wonderland Pie”

Sautéed Mushrooms (with garlic and parsley)
Scrambled Egg
Pizza Cheese Blend
(You may add Crumbled Bacon to this, or not)
(Serve with a Cheshire Cat Smile, and cups of Tea!)

“Telly Savalas”

Sautéed Spinach (Squeezed out, so it’s not too liquid-y)
Sautéed Mushrooms
Feta Cheese
(You may add Scrambled Egg to this, or not)
(Who Loves Ya, Baby!?”

“Sophia Loren”

Sautéed Peppers & Onions
Sautéed Spinach (Squeezed out, so it’s not too liquid-y)
Sautéed Mushroom
Parmesan Cheese
Mozzarella Cheese

“The French PopEye”

Sautéed Spinach (Squeezed out, so it’s not too liquid-y)
Goat Cheese
Sautéed Onions
Diced Roasted Red Pepper

“The Italian PopEye”

Sautéed Spinach (Squeezed out, so it’s not too liquid-y)
Mozzarella Cheese
Provolone Cheese
Sautéed Onions
Diced Roasted Red Pepper

Of course who can create handpies without thinking of ANGELA LANSBURY and LEN CARIOU in SWEENEY TODD!

The “Danny DeVito” as a PinWheel

Bonus #1:

PinWheels
Soooooooo FUN!

Same Idea.
Use the Full Sheet of Puff Pastry.

Lay it out, and layer on the Fillings (Try not to pile them too high, as you will be rolling this — it is more about mixing the fillings into one layer height, instead of a pile.
Leave an inch at each end without filling, as the filling will move slightly as you roll.

“The French PopEye” as a PinWheel

Once all of the ingredients have been laid on, begin, gently and carefully to roll your Creation up into one giant roll. You may need to help it along by moving your hands up and down the roll, if it doesn’t move all at once. (The filling may be heavy for the Pastry. That’s OK. In the oven, the Pastry will Puff, and the Filling will have Met its Match!)
Once Rolled, Slice the Roll into PinWheels and place them onto a parchment lined cookie sheet, and into the freezer.
Once Frozen, you may store them in a Freezer Bag, closer together, until ready to bake.
How Festive they Look!

When ready to Bake, place the PinWheels with the Spiral Upward onto a parchment paper-lined Cookie Sheet, or baking tray lined with parchment paper, and brush the top with an egg wash (i.e.: a well beaten egg mixed with 2 tsp of water). (You may wish to spray the paper with some non-stick cooking spray, as when the cheese melts, these can stick!)
Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes (less for the mini-triangles), or until they are puffed and lightly golden brown in color.

And really, No Extra Work!
Just a different shape!

The “Danny DeVito” as a PinWheel

Bonus #2:

You can also make these Pies Sweet:
(I wouldn’t try this Recipe as a PinWheel, though — it could get Messy!)
(though Ordinarily I Love MESSY! )

Violets or Tesses? Maybe Both for Berry Abundance!

“Violet Beauregarde’s Giant BlueBerry Pies”

For the Filling: In a Medium Bowl Beat together:

8 oz Cream Cheese, Softened
½ Cup Granulated Sugar
1½ tsp Pure Vanilla Extract (Do not use Imitation, if it can be avoided)
2 Egg Yolks
(Filling may be made slightly ahead of time)

You will also need:
Fresh BluBerries (a pint or two) * (or sliced StrawBerries, if you prefer)
(n.b.: But if you use StrawBerries, then be sure to rename them “Tess of the d’Urberville’s Giant StrawBerry Pies”)
Puff Pastry
Beaten Egg (for EggWash)
Sanding Sugar (or Granulated Sugar) (for the top)

(*Frozen Berries work well, too!)

Spread the Cream Cheese Filling onto the diagonal half of a Puff Pastry Square, and then pack in as many Fresh BlueBerries (or Frozen, if Fresh are out of season), as you can, still being able to fold over the puff pastry into a triangular shape, and seal it by crimping the edge with a fork (For best results, dip the fork in warm water first.)
Freeze as above.
When ready to bake, lay out onto a parchment lined baking sheet, at least two inches apart.
Brush with Egg Wash (as above), and sprinkle with Sanding Sugar.
(If using Granulated Sugar then add a second sprinkling when removing pastry from the oven, if it needs it, as sometimes the first sprinkling will melt and disappear.)

Bake as above.

YUM!

Celebrate your Act of Love!

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