I've done the simple roll up/pinwheel type appetizers, just spread a sheet of puff pastry with honey mustard, add proscuitto or ham, and cheese of your choice (parmesan is nice and flavorful but won't melt all over the place) , roll up and slice like cinnamon rolls but about 1/2 inch thin. Place the rounds on a greased cookie sheet or parchment paper and press flat, then bake at 400F for 10 minutes or so until golden and crunchy.

I've also filled squares of puff pastry with fruit filling or with a mushroom/onion or spinach filling, fold over into triangles, seal the edges and bake. The spinach ones are kind of like spanakopita, without the aggravation of phyllo.

I've wrapped strips of puff pastry around asparagus spears and sprinkled them with parmesan and baked them, and I've got some recipes for puff pastry baked in mini muffin cups and filled with various fillings, from pizza to mushroom.

Have fun, and Happy Thanksgiving!

Annie

ROTFL!! "Without the aggravation of phyllo". Classic!

Hint: Fillo Factory is much easier to work with than Athens, which is always a mess.

I'm not particularly fond of packaged puff, but it is great for the kind of thing you're talking about, Linnea. Are you having another bread component to the meal? That would be my one qualm. The mini-tarts would be great. They should bake up fine with the filling if the filling isn't heavy, but you can easily par bake them as well. If you do the letter, you can do a milk or egg wash to give them some shine on the edges. If you want to be down-homey, you can make mini pot-pies with small ramekins and demitasse spoons, with the puff as crust. You can cut rounds and bake them, and use puff instead of a roll or biscuit for fancy rich sliders. Similarly, you can bake them as bread sticks (long rectangles) and use them as conveyances for tapanade, onion jam, roasted pepper spread, etc.

You can also bake cut pieces, split them, then make the pieces into, basically, cinnamon toast. I think there's a fancy name, but just dust with sugar and cinnamon and broil 'till melted, at which point the puff should be stiff but not hard (hard is overcooked). Good with coffee, not as an appetizer. But you could do the same thing using parmesan, romano or asiago (or a blend of all) and some finely chopped herbs.

Make roasted caramelized thin slices of onion and peeled sweet pepper, and lay those on the puff to bake.

Or go old school and make a pâté and roll a log of it up in the puff dough, seal well, and bake seam side down. Not like a jelly roll, which won't bake properly, but just a wrapped log of filling. Let it set a bit before slicing. A very popular version with my set is essentially pot roast run through the grinder. I was thinking it would be great if it were duck breast, mushrooms, and shallots. Maybe some celery.

Sausage rolls. Remove the skin from some of your favourite chipolatas, roll up in the pastry, cut into bite sized pieces, brush with egg and bake.

Vol au vents! Cut full circles for the bases and circles the same size with a hole cut out of the middle for the sides. Brunch the edges of the full size circles with water and press the rings of pastry on to stick. Brush the ring of pastry with beaten egg and bake in a hot oven.

Fill with your favourite creamy mixture - chicken and mushrooms in bechamel sauce, ham and cheese bechamel etc. Serve hot.

I second the sausage rolls!! I make my own sausage filling but just as easy to make using prepared sausages. A very upscale pigs in a blanket thing :-)) And best at room temp, IMO.

This Asparagus-Ricotta Tart with Comté Cheese is totally delicious. If you can’t find Comté cheese, Gruyère is a good substitute.

YIELDMakes 6 to 8 appetizer or 4 main-course servings

INGREDIENTS

1 sheet frozen puff pastry (half of 17.3-ounce package), thawed

1 egg, beaten to blend

1 pound slender asparagus spears, trimmed

1/2 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese

4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 ounces thinly sliced soppressata or other salami, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

2/3 cup grated Comté cheese (about 3 ounces), divided

PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 400°F. Roll out pastry on floured surface to 13x10-inch rectangle. Cut off 1/2-inch-wide strip from all 4 sides. Brush strips on 1 side with some of beaten egg, then press strips, egg side down, onto edges of pastry to adhere, forming raised border. Brush border with egg; reserve remaining beaten egg. Transfer to baking sheet. Chill while preparing filling.

Steam asparagus just until crisp tender, about 3 minutes. Transfer to bowl of ice water to cool. Drain. Cut off top 2 to 3 inches of asparagus tops; set aside. Coarsely puree remaining asparagus stalks in processor. Add remaining beaten egg, ricotta, 3 teaspoons oil, and salt;process until thick puree forms. Transfer to bowl; stir in salami and 1/3 cup Comté cheese; season with pepper. Spread mixture evenly over pastry. Sprinkle with remaining 1/3 cup Comté cheese. Toss asparagus tips with remaining 1 teaspoon oil; arrange tips over filling.

Bake tart until filling is set, about 25 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Market Tip:

Comté cheese is a semifirm, Gruyère-style cow's-milk cheese. It is available at some supermarkets, cheese shops, and specialty foods stores.

This is really good. Leek and Camembert Tart

I second Annie's palmiers suggestion. Btw, they freeze really well. I make a batch and freeze most. Pull out as needed for a quick reheat.

I made this recipe with puff pastry. Could easily serve as an appetizer.

https://smittenkitchen.com/2007/10/butternut-squash-and-caramelized-onion-galette/

Leite’s Culinaria Onion Thyme Tart

These pinwheels have a spinach/artichoke filling. Squeezing the spinach in a potato ricer is the best method I know to get the liquid out.

Spinach and Artichoke Pinwheels

1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed

1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 (17.3-ounce) package frozen puff pastry

Drain spinach well and stir together with artichoke hearts, mayo, Parmesan, onion powder, garlic powder and pepper.

Thaw puff pastry at room temperature 30 minutes, or thaw overnight in fridge . Unfold pastry, and place on a lightly floured surface. Spread one-half spinach mixture evenly over pastry sheet, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Roll up pastry, jellyroll fashion, pressing to seal seam; wrap in plastic wrap or foil. Repeat procedure with remaining pastry and spinach mixture. Freeze 30 minutes; cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices. (Rolls may be frozen up to 3 months.)

Bake at 400 for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.

I make a blue cheese strudel....can't find the written recipe, but I have winged it for a long time.
Mix blue cheese ( Maytag of course!) with brandy until easily spreadable...add chopped walnuts...as much as you like...pecans are good too....and spread on a sheet of puff pastry, roll up like a cinnamon roll and bake 425 until nicely browned. serve immediately. I can't believe how delicious this is!

Someone mentioned palmiers? ;)

Funny, I just turned on the Great British Baking Show while making dinner, and the contestants were making savory palmiers (of course, they were making their puff pastry by hand).

Linda, we all love blue cheese....after you roll up the puff pastry, do you then slice it before baking? Or have the palmiers I just saw influenced me? ?

Linda, those sound really good!

I have not made either of these, but have them saved to try.

https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/mini_salmon_quiches/

https://www.kitchensanctuary.com/cranberry-brie-bites/

Linda

Such an easy and impressive app. I've only made bite size. Spinach/artichoke pinwheels, mushroom/olive/sundried tomato/cheese squares, cheese/herb palmers. And twisted pesto strips.

lots of ideas via image search, HERE

Puff pastry is very satisfying to work with. I find it best fresh baked. You can prepare ahead and freeze on a sheet pan...just pop in the oven frozen or partially thawed.

This one is fun. HERE. I did not use Nutella but used pesto/olive/sun dried tomatoes and used green pepitas and pomegranate for the 'sprinkle' to the table.

That tree idea is gorgeous! I think I'll try that for Christmas. Not as a dessert, but as an appetizer. My daughter loves pesto so that's a good idea for our family. The sun dried tomatoes aren't too wet for this? Thanks.