Puff Pastry Sunflower with Zucchini

Puff pastry sunflowers with zucchini are an appetizing starter or finger food that you could serve on various occasions. Here is how to prepare them:

Ingredients

• 1 roll of round puff pastry
• 2 medium zucchini
• 100 g of cream cheese (you can use ricotta, goat cheese, or another cheese of your choice)
• 50 g of grated Parmesan
• Salt, pepper to taste
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Aromatic herbs to taste (basil, mint, thyme, etc.)
• 1 egg (for brushing)

Preparation

1. Take the zucchini and grate them finely with a coarse grater. Put them in a bowl and add a pinch of salt.
2. In a pan, heat a little oil and cook the grated zucchini for a few minutes until they lose their water and become soft. Let cool.
3. In a bowl, mix the cream cheese with the grated Parmesan, the finely chopped aromatic herbs, and the now cooled zucchini. Season with salt and pepper to your taste.
4. Roll out the puff pastry and cut circles about 8 cm in diameter.
5. Place a teaspoon of the filling in the center of each circle.
6. Fold the circles in half to obtain half-moons and then close the edges by pinching them slightly to seal them.
7. Take a baking sheet and line it with parchment paper. Arrange the sunflowers on the baking sheet.
8. Beat the egg and brush each sunflower to give shine and color during baking.
9. Bake the sunflowers at 180° C for about 15-20 minutes, or until the puff pastry is golden and crispy.

Curiosity

This recipe is a variation of the classic puff pastry tarts or rustic pies. The use of aromatic herbs together with the zucchini creates a mix of fresh and summery flavors that can be easily adapted based on the season or personal taste.