Puff Pastry with Chestnut Cream and Scamorza

Puff Pastry with Chestnut Cream and Scamorza is a dish with a tasty and original pairing, combining the sweetness of chestnuts with the savoriness of scamorza. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients

• 1 roll of rectangular puff pastry
• 200 g of already cooked chestnuts (you can use the natural canned or vacuum-packed ones if you don’t have time to cook them from scratch)
• 100 ml of milk
• 200 g of smoked scamorza cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Extra virgin olive oil to taste
• A pinch of chopped rosemary (optional)
• 1 egg yolk to brush the pastry

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 200 °C (392 °F).
2. Prepare the chestnut cream: blend the cooked chestnuts with milk until you get a smooth cream. If necessary, add more milk to reach a soft but not too liquid consistency. Season the cream with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Cut the scamorza into cubes or thin slices.
4. Roll out the puff pastry on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
5. Spread the chestnut cream on the puff pastry, leaving a free edge of about 2 cm on all sides.
6. Distribute the scamorza cheese over the chestnut cream, and if you like, add a pinch of chopped rosemary for an aromatic touch.
7. Fold the edges of the pastry making sure to seal them well to prevent the cream from leaking during cooking.
8. Brush the surface of the pastry with the beaten egg yolk to give it a nice golden color.
9. Bake the pastry in the oven for about 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy.
10. Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes before serving.

Curiosity

Chestnut cream is very versatile and can be used in different variations: for example, it can be enriched with pieces of chocolate or spices like cinnamon, for a sweeter and more autumnal touch, while smoked scamorza can be replaced with other types of spun or smoked cheese, depending on your preferences.