Savoury Fillings For Pastry Cases Recipes

SAVOURY BREAD CASES

Steps:

• Cut the crusts from your bread, and the tips off the corners.
• Spread with margarine, very lightly.
• Press, butter side down, into a 12 hole muffin tin, or a tart pan.
• Bake at 180°C for about 15 minutes, until the breadcases are dry. (These can then be frozen for a few months).
• Melt your butter and oil over medium heat, using a medium sized fry pan.
• Add the diced bacon and diced onion and saute for about 5 minutes, then add the garlic and saute a minute longer.
• Using a metal strainer, strain the bacon and onion mixture.
• In a middle size heavy saucepan, measure in 2 tablespoons of the strained oil, and the bacon mixture. (if you need to add oil to make up the 2 tablespoons, that's fine).
• heat until sizzling, then stir in 2 tablespoons of the plain flour, stirring with a wooden spoon.
• When the flour is absorbed, add another tablespoon, stir until you cant see any flour, and then sprinkle the last spoonful, stirring until it is totally absorbed. (all flour is different, you only need enough to absorb all the flour, without white "bits").
• Keep stirring and add 1.5 cups of milk.
• Stir briskly until the mixture thickens, and there are no lumps.
• Add the last cup of milk.
• Allow to cook for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
• Take off the Heat and add the cheese and mustard, stirring until the cheese has melted. (the mustard brings out the flavour of the cheese, but if you don't like it, you can leave it out).
• refrigerate the mix till serving time.
• Put the bread cases onto a tray, and fill with the cheese mixture. You may like to sprinkle a little more cheese on top, either Cheddar or Parmesan.
• Bake at 180°C for about 15 minutes.
• Leave to cool slightly before serving.
• You can make a heap of variations to this recipe, like replace the bacon with a small tin of savoury tuna or salmon, or leave out the bacon and add chopped smoked salmon with the cheese.

KERRI'S SAVOURY BREAD CASES AND FILLINGS

Steps:

• Using electric knife remove crusts.
• Press slices into patty tins, brush with butter.
• Bake in moderate oven 180degC (350degF)(lower if fan forced) 12 - 15mins or until golden brown.
• Allow to cool in tins.
• Basic white sauce; melt butter and whisk in flour, cook for 1 minute; add milk slowly, off stove, while whisking; put back on stove and heat to boiling, whisking all the time; add mustard, pepper, salt, paprika, parsley and shallots - and whatever other ingredients you wish.
• Spoon prepared filling into cases, place on oven trays.
• Bake 180degC (350degF) unless fan forced, 12 mins or until filling is heated through.
• Salmon filling; Add salmon, and cheese if you are using, to basic filling.
• Asparagus filling; Stir until cheese melts so work quickly before basic sauce gets cool; add to basic sauce.

PARTY VOL-AU-VENTS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Line a large baking tray with baking parchment. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface and cut into 30 x 6cm squares, trimming any edges. Score a smaller square inside each one, leaving a 7.5mm border, taking care not to cut the pastry all the way through.
• Put the squares on the tray, lightly brush with egg glaze and bake for 15 mins until puffed up and golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. When cool, carefully remove and discard the central piece of pastry from each one. To serve, fill with the fillings (see 'goes well with'). The vol-au-vent cases can be kept in an airtight container for up to a day before filling and serving.