Salted puff pastry roses

Salted puff pastry roses are a great idea for a tasty appetizer or for an aperitif. They are quite simple to prepare and have a very elegant appearance.

Ingredients

• 1 roll of rectangular puff pastry
• 100 g of thinly sliced cooked ham
• 100 g of sliced cheese that melts well, such as scamorza or mozzarella
• 1 egg (for brushing)
• Sesame or poppy seeds (optional)

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C.
2. Unroll the puff pastry and cut it into horizontal strips about 5 cm wide.
3. Place a slice of cooked ham on each strip of puff pastry.
4. Put a slice of cheese on top of the ham.
5. Roll up the strips from the long side, taking care to keep the filling inside.
6. Cut each roll in half, thus obtaining the “roses”.
7. Fold the rolls slightly in half to give them the shape of a rose.
8. Brush the puff pastry roses with the beaten egg and optionally sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds.
9. Place the roses on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, leaving a bit of space between each one.
10. Bake in the oven for about 15-20 minutes or until the puff pastry is golden and the cheese has melted.

Salted puff pastry roses can be served hot or at room temperature. They are perfect for impressing your guests with a touch of creativity and simplicity.

Curiosity

This recipe is a savory variation of the more traditional sweet puff pastry roses, usually made with apples and cinnamon. The use of different types of savory ingredients allows experimenting with various flavors, so feel free to try them with pesto, olive tapenade or grilled vegetables instead of ham and cheese.