Starter: Bouchée à la Reine (Vol-au-vents!)
Author: Nicolas Kleist
Serves: 6
Ingredients
- 2 x 500g blocks puff pastry
- 1 egg yolk
- 40g butter
- 40g plain flour
- 500ml milk
- salt and white pepper
- pinch ground nutmeg
- ½ tbsp butter
- 150g button mushrooms, halved
- 12cm fluted pastry cutter
- 2cm fluted pastry cutter
Method
- For the vol au vent cases: Preheat oven to 190C/Gas 5 and line a baking tray with greaseproof paper.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out 1 pastry block to 1cm thick.
- Using a 12cm fluted pastry cutter, cut out 6 discs. Transfer to the baking tray.
- Roll the second block of pastry to ½cm thick and cut 6 discs with the 12cm cutter.
- Then, using the smaller cutter (2cm) take a disc from the middle of each.
- Dip a pastry brush in egg yolk and brush the discs on the baking sheet, then stick one of the 6 discs without centres onto each.
- Place the smaller discs separately on the baking sheet and brush with egg.
- Score lightly with a knife for decoration and bake at 180C for 15 mins or golden brown.
- Set aside.
- For the mushrooms: Melt butter in saucepan, add flour and whisk for 2 mins on a medium heat.
- Add milk gradually, stirring until sauce thickens.
- Season with salt, white pepper and a pinch of ground nutmeg.
- Remove from heat.
- Melt ½ tbsp butter in a frying pan, add mushrooms and sauté until tender.
- Add to the béchamel sauce and set aside to cool.
- When cool, fill the pastry cases with the mixture, top with the baked pastry lids and serve.
