Vol-au-vent with mushrooms
Vol-au-vent is a festive appetizer, full of elegance and flavor, that can transform any meal into a special moment. These small French pastry delights are ideal for being filled with various ingredients, and one of the most popular options is the mushroom filling. Preparing vol-au-vent requires a little time and patience, but the final result will be worth all the effort.
To start, you will need a quality puff pastry. You can choose to make it at home or buy it from the store if you want to save time. If you choose the homemade option, mix the flour with cold butter cut into cubes, then gradually add cold water, kneading until you obtain a homogeneous dough. Let it rest in the refrigerator for about an hour. After this period, roll out the dough into a thin sheet and cut out circular shapes of about 10 cm in diameter.
After you have cut all the shapes, I recommend that you take one of the cut shapes, lightly cut a smaller circle in the middle, being careful not to cut it completely. Then, place the cut circle on the edge of the original shape, thus creating a small wall. This step will allow the vol-au-vent to rise beautifully in the oven. Place all the shapes on a tray lined with baking paper and brush them with a beaten egg to give them a golden hue when baked.
While the dough is in the oven, you can prepare the mushroom filling. Choose fresh mushrooms, such as champignon or porcini, wash them and chop them finely. In a pan, melt a few tablespoons of butter and add finely chopped onion. When the onion becomes translucent, add the mushrooms and cook them until they lose water and become golden. Add salt, pepper, and, if you like, a little crushed garlic for extra flavor. Once the mushrooms are ready, you can add sour cream or cottage cheese to achieve a creamy texture.
When the vol-au-vents are baked and have a beautiful color, take them out of the oven and let them cool slightly. Fill each vol-au-vent with the mushroom mixture, being careful not to overfill them, so they do not spill. You can decorate with a little finely chopped parsley or a few chives for a more attractive appearance. These appetizers can be served warm or at room temperature, making them perfect for parties, anniversaries, or festive meals. Enjoy every bite of these delicious mushroom vol-au-vents and relish the appreciation of your loved ones!
The French pastry dough is prepared in advance by cutting small shapes of vol-au-vent. For the French dough to turn out well, all ingredients must be kept cold and the sheet should be rolled out in several directions, starting from the center. They are baked in an ungreased tray and kept warm. Small, fresh mushrooms (canned ones can also be used) are cleaned and sautéed with a little butter and salt. Separately, a roux is made from a tablespoon of flour and one of butter. It is deglazed with 2 cups of meat broth or milk. Pepper and salt are added and stirred constantly, allowing it to simmer slowly. The egg yolks are whisked with sour cream and gradually poured into the flour sauce, which is cooked over low heat until it thickens to a cream-like consistency. The mushrooms are added, allowed to cook a little longer without boiling, and then filled into the pastry shapes with a spoon. The dough is brushed with egg, but the edges should not be brushed to avoid weighing down the puff pastry. Vol-au-vent with mushrooms are served very hot.
Ingredients: For the French dough: 250 g fresh butter, 250 g flour, 1/2 cup of water, 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Filling: 400 g mushrooms, 2 egg yolks, 4 tablespoons of sour cream, salt, pepper, 1 tablespoon of flour, 2 cups of broth or milk, 2 tablespoons of butter.
