Treat your family or guests to an impressive and almost elegant breakfast with these breakfast pastries. They may be pretty and fancy looking, but they really are easy to make. Best of all, they are delicious.
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed but still cold
heavy cream or a beaten egg, for brushing pastry
2 T. olive oil
8-10 large cremini mushrooms, brushed clean and sliced
3 leeks, well washed and sliced (white part and a bit of the green)
2 T. fresh thyme leaves
2 T. freshly chopped parsley
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 c. soft goat cheese
4 large eggs
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Heat olive oil in a skillet; saute leeks and mushrooms for about 10-15 minutes or until soft but not mushy. Toss with the fresh herbs.
Roll out the cold puff pastry on a lightly floured surface to a 12x 12 square; cut into 4 squares. Using the tip of a small paring knife, score around each square, being careful not to cut all the way through, just 1/4 inch from the edge, to form a frame. The outer edge will puff up during the baking like a crust.
To keep the inside of the dough from puffing up, use a fork to prick the dough all over, INSIDE the frame. Brush each piece of dough lightly with heavy cream or a beaten egg. You can refrigerate the dough and finish later, if you want or continue.
Spread or crumble goat cheese on each square of dough; top with the mushroom leek mixture, being careful to keep the mixture inside the 'frame'; make a small 'nest' in each center where the egg will eventually be put.
Crack each of the four eggs into their own individual cups; set aside, which will make it easier to slide the eggs onto the pastries later.
Bake the pastries for 10 minutes, until starting to puff up and get a little golden.
Remove from the oven, making sure that there is a well in the center of each to hold the eggs. Gently slide 1 egg into the center of each pastry.
Bake for another 10-12 minutes until the eggs are just set.
Serve immediately, seasoned with pepper and fresh herbs.
4 servings.
PT0M