Roasted Corn & Mushroom Turnovers | Sweet charred corn, nutty mushrooms with creamy ricotta create the perfect holiday appetizer.
And just like that the Holidays are here! This year seemed to have completely flown by. I never noticed how time seems to escape us until becoming a Mom. Motherhood makes you hold on to each and every memory and holiday while still celebrating the day to day. Speaking of celebrating now is the season for gatherings and parties. As we prep for the busy weeks ahead, I wanted to share a simple yet flavorful appetizer you could make a head of time before all the madness starts!
By nature I’m a planner, always have been. As much as I’d like to be a ‘wing it’ kind of person, I most definitely am not, especially when it comes to entertaining and hosting. Before hosting an event I like to plan out my menu by figuring out a timeline: what things I’ll make, what things will be catered and what things can be made ahead of time. Make-ahead snacks are a lifesaver in my opinion, homemade treats that you make on your own time and are ready for you when needed.
Enter puff pastry. Puff pastry is one of the easiest ingredients when it comes to preparing make-ahead snacks. I’ve used it for sweet and savory pairings and the best part about it is how none of the flavor is compromised when frozen for later use. Sharing a simple yet flavorful pastry I recently made with easily accessible ingredients.
Roasted Corn and Mushroom Turnovers are just as simple and delicious as they sound. Roasted corn, sautéed mushrooms, airy ricotta is tucked into puff pastry sheets resulting in crunchy snacks filled with flavor.
To contrast the sweetness of the corn and ricotta I add in a healthy pinch of red pepper flakes, combine that with the nuttiness of the sautéed mushrooms and it’s a taste of the holidays. If you have young ones or don’t fancy too much spice in general, use freshly ground black pepper instead.
- 1 box (2 sheets) frozen puff pastry (thawed in the refrigerator)
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- ½ cup roasted corn
- ½ cup sliced (button mushrooms)
- ⅓ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ tablespoon red chilli flakes
- 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil
- salt to taste
- 1 egg or 3 tablespoon heavy cream
- Sautéé the mushrooms in butter. Salt and pepper to taste, let cool.
- In a medium bowl make the filling by mixing the ricotta, sautéed mushrooms, roasted corn, mozzarella cheese and red chili flakes. Mix while adding in salt. Taste and adjust as needed.
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one pastry sheet. Use a pizza cutter and cut the sheet into 6 squares. Transfer the squares to the prepared baking sheet.
- Using a pastry brush, brush the squares lightly with the egg wash or heavy cream. Spoon 1-2 tablespoons of the ricotta mixture onto each square. Fold the squares diagonally to make a triangle, lining up the edges as best as you can. Crimp the edges with a fork to seal shut.
- Repeat this with the 2nd puff pastry sheet so you have a total of 12 pockets. With the fork poke the tops for air vents and brush them with egg wash/heavy cream.
- Chill the pockets in the fridge for 15 minutes or freeze up to two weeks.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F while the puffs are being chilled. Bake the pockets for 20-25 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown.
Looking for more appetizers to fill up your menu? Try these tea sandwiches, vegetable masala puffs, homemade tzatziki or these masala papads.
