Sausage, Broccoli Rabe and Fontina Puffs

by Michael on December 28, 2011

We hope you had a wonderful holiday and are now gearing up for New Year’s like Laurie and I are. To make things easier, I am sharing one of my most requested hors d’oeuvres recipes that will WOW  your guests on NYE.

Laurie suggests pairing the Sausage and Broccoli Rabe Puffs with a sparkling Prosecco or a Barbera if you like reds.

We wish you a Healthy, Happy and Delicious New Year!

Ingredients:

1 Large Bunch Brocoli Rabe
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Chopped Garlic
½ Teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
1 Pound Sweet Italian Sausage
8 Ounces Fontina Cheese, Shredded
4 Ounces Parmegiano Reggiano
1 Sheet Puffed Pastry, Pepperidge Farms Brand
1 more ounce of Parmigiano Reggiano

Procedure:

  1. Blanch the Brocoli Rabe in boiling water until the stems are cooked through. Remove from the pot and put into ice water to cool it quick.
  2. Drain the broccoli rabe, squeezing out the excess water.  Heat a large sauté pan with the oil and cook the garlic and red pepper flakes until garlic is tender just about 30 seconds.  Then add the broccoli rabe and toss until well coated.
  3. Remove the skins from the Sausage. In a food processor, pulse together the sausage, broccoli rabe, and both cheeses until mixed well.
  4. Spray 2 mini muffin tin with pam cooking spray.  Cut the square puffed pastry in 36 equal pieces. Line the muffin tins with a piece of the pastry stretching out the middle a little.
  5. Now for this step I like to put the Sausage mixture into a 1 gallon zip lock bag.  Cut one of the lower corners off making a hole the size of a penny.  Squeeze the bag forcing the Sausage mixture out to for a small ball the size of a grape.  Put the Sausage mixture into the puffed pastry.
  6. Sprinkle the top with the remaining Parm and bake at 400° for 14 to 16 minutes until the pastry is just golden brown on top.  Any excess filling can be frozen for later use.

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