Author Notes
I am very curios and always was about cuisine of countries all over the world, especially traditional Holyday cooking and baking and try them as soon as I can. For this weeks contest I baked today traditional Finnish Christmas Pastries “Joulutortut”, which is inspired by a recipe I found on The Worldwide Gourmet website. The name of those pastries is hard to pronounce but very easy to make. The original recipe is a dessert pastry but I think and am used to start a Holiday or every day breakfast with a savory dish and finish with something sweet. That is why I made both, savory and sweet. The Plum jam filling I made exactly like the filling for Hamentaschen we bake for Purim, the original recipe calls just for Plum jam. Just to try, I baked only a small portion but it doubles or triples easily. —Kukla
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Ingredients
- For the savory pastries
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• 4 (5by 5-inches) Puff pastry squares
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• 3/4 cup whole milk ricotta, drained
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• 1/2 cup good quality feta (Greek or French)
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• 1large egg yolk
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• 2 teaspoons lemon zest
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• 2 teaspoons fresh dill, diced
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• 4 scallions, only the green part, chopped
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• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white or black pepper
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• 1 large egg yolk mixed with some water, for egg wash
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• Sesame seeds, toasted, for the top
- For the sweet pastries
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• 4 (5by 5-inches) Puff pastry squares
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• 1/2 cup Plum Jam
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• 1/3 cup fine ground walnuts
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• 2 teaspoons lemon or orange zest
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• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
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• Pinch of coarse salt
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• Confectioners’ sugar for dusting the tops
Directions
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To make filling for savory pastries: In a medium mixing bowl combine ricotta, feta, egg yolk, lemon zest, dill, scallions and pepper. Stir well until the mixture is homogeneous. Set a side.
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To make filling for sweet pastries: In a small mixing bowl combine Plum jam, walnuts, lemon or orange zest, vanilla and salt. Stir well until the mixture is homogeneous. Set a side.
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Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Line two cookie baking sheets with parchment paper.
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Make cuts from the corners of each square about half way to the centre; place a spoonful of savory filling in the centre and fold every second section into the centre, pinch tightly to form a windmill or a star shape, (which mine don’t look like).
Photo #4 shows how the pastries should look.
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Place on the baking sheet; brush with egg yolk; sprinkle with sesame seeds and transfer to the middle rack of the oven. Bake for 18-20 minutes until the pastries are puffed and golden.
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Repeat the same process with the sweet filling, only there is no need to brush them with the egg wash, since they will be dusted with confectioners’ sugar.
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Serve warm or at room temperature for breakfast or brunch with a fragrant cup of tea or fresh espresso.
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