Recipes

Puff Pastry Garlic Prosciutto Trees

There’s something uniquely satisfying about biting into flaky puff pastry—particularly puff pastry that’s threaded onto a skewer with prosciutto and garlic. Make this charming appetizer for a holiday open house or cocktail party, then wait for the ooohs and aahhs.

Ingredients

1 sheet puff pastry (approximately 9½ x 9½”), defrosted overnight in the refrigerator
¼ cup Armanino Creamy Garlic Sauce
¼ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon dried rosemary
⅛ teaspoon crushed red chile flakes
2 tablespoons grated parmesan
5 pieces thinly sliced prosciutto
small stars cut from red and/or yellow bell peppers
wooden skewers

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Gently roll out the puff pastry sheet, lightly floured on both sides to prevent sticking, on a piece of parchment paper, just enough to even out the creases.
In a small bowl, stir together the garlic sauce, black pepper and rosemary.
Spread the garlic mixture in a thin, even layer over the puff pastry.
Sprinkle the parmesan evenly on top.
Lay the prosciutto slices on top, filling in any spaces with small pieces so the entire surface is covered.
With a sharp knife, cut the puff pastry into strips large about ¾” wide.
Fold the strips to make a Christmas tree shape – with the pastry on the outside, start with a 2” long strip then accordion or ribbon fold, making each length a little shorter to achieve the look of a tree.
Slide a wooden skewer through the center, catching the top pastry point if possible. The folds shouldn’t be too tightly compacted as the pastry will puff during baking; if needed adjust the pastry to loosen just a little.
Bake 12 minutes then flip the trees and continue baking for an additional 5-6 minutes on the other side until golden brown.
While the pastry trees are baking, cut small stars or other tree-topper shapes from red and/or yellow bell peppers with mini cookie cutters or by hand with a sharp knife.
Before serving, place one tree topper shape at the tip of each skewer.
Serve warm or room temperature.
Do ahead: the pastries are best served within a few hours of baking but can be assembled and refrigerated tightly wrapped up to a day ahead. If desired, re-crisp in a 325°F oven for a few minutes.

Chef’s Tips

For a fun addition, add finely chopped kalamata olives or sun-dried tomatoes to the garlic sauce mixture.
Consider other fun holiday themed shapes – roll the pastry into a circle for “ornaments” or try to make a square for “holiday gifts”.
Instead of Armanino Creamy Garlic Sauce, Armanino Pesto Sauce makes a delicious substitute.