Puff pastry is a very common snack in my hometown with the only difference being that it would be store bought as we hardly bake it at home. Well, surprisingly Yes… and it’s because a conventional oven was not common at homes during my good old childhood days, until recently. Unlike in the US where there are a variety of sweet and savoury puff pastries, we are so used to the savoury ones; be it a vegetable masala, egg, chicken or a meat puffs. In fact, if we have guests visiting for tea or a party at home, curry puffs would be first dish we would be running out for to our nearby bakery. To my memory, puffs held the royal first place as my favourite “Snack / Appetizer” until recently where the dominance of samosas and cutlet started to creep in…!

Curry puffs aka the Indian version of the vegetable puffs, is made of a light stuffing of veggies like potato, green peas, carrots or beets, in a spicy masala. Here I have tried to give my western touch to the classic curry puffs, making it non-spicy with mushrooms and broccoli combined in a creamy white sauce. The preparation is soo easy and similar to any other puff pastry; rolled and toasted until golden and flaky. The melted cheese inside makes each bite ooey, gooey, and seriously addictive.

 If you are a fan of Puff Pastry, I am sure you gonna love this combination of mushrooms and broccoli. Serve these wonderful puffs as an appetizer for your parties or as a snack for your tea time.

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!!!

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Prep time: 20 mins; Baking time: 18 – 20 mins
Serves: makes 12 nos

INGREDIENTS

For white sauce

• 2 tbsp flour
• 2 tbsp butter
• salt (a pinch)
• ¾ cup milk

For puffs

• 8 oz. mushrooms (chopped )
• 1 cup broccoli florets (chopped)
• 3 garlic cloves (finely minced)
• 2 tbsp butter
• salt (as required)
• pepper (as required)
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese
• 1 egg (beaten)
• 2 sheets of puff pastry (thawed, cut into 12 squares)

INSTRUCTIONS

Preparation of white sauce

1. Melt butter in a pan, add flour and whisk vigorously.
2. Add milk and whisk on a low heat for 2 minutes till it thickens. Season with salt.
3. Remove from heat as the sauce becomes smooth and creamy.

Preparation of puffs

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Melt butter in a pan, saute garlic until fragrant.
3. Add mushrooms, saute for 3 minutes until they turn tender.
4. Add broccoli to the pan, saute on a medium flame (1-2 mins). Switch off the flame and mix with the prepared white sauce.
5. Line a baking tray with aluminum foil, grease with cooking spray, and keep aside.
6. Carefully open thawed pastry sheets to a clean lightly floured flat surface. Using a rolling pin, roll the sheets to even and smoothen, refer notes section for details.
7. Using a sharp knife or a pizza wheel, cut the pastry sheet into equal square shapes as per your preferred serving size.
8. Add 1 tbsp filling to the center of each square and top with some mozzarella cheese. Carefully fold and seal all four edges and brush generously the sides and top with egg wash. This helps to make the crust look golden.
9. Arrange on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 18-20 minutes until golden.
10. Remove from the oven and allow it cool for a few minutes before serving.

Note:

1. Using mozzarella cheese and white sauce are optional. If you don’t want the creamy cheesy texture, go ahead with the veggie mix alone.
2. While preparing the white sauce, whisk vigorously to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
3. The puff pastry sheets should be kept frozen till ready to use. Once taken out from the freezer, thaw it at room temperature for not more than 40 minutes or until they unfold easily. The sheet should still be cold, and unfolded to a floured flat surface. If it cracks, sprinkle water at the edges and press together to seal. Grease with flour and using a rolling pin, roll and shape to your preferred size and thickness.

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