Puff Pastry Halloumi Bites
A simple appetizer or starter and any leftovers make a great next-day snack or light lunch!
Halloumi cheese originates from Cypress in the Mediterranean. It is traditionally prepared using goat's and/or sheep's milk. The version I used in this recipe is made from cow’s milk. The consistency of halloumi is similar to mozzarella, semi-hard, no rind, a mild cheese that is slightly salty (and often comes pre-seasoned as in the one used in this recipe). Halloumi holds its shape so it can be grilled which makes it crusty on the outside and soft on the inside, such a nice addition to a grilled veggie sandwich!
I chose to use halloumi in this recipe but you could easily use mozzarella, cheddar or gruyere. Since the Bites are sealed on themselves, even a softer cheese like a brie or a cream cheese could be used - the Bites may flatten as a softer cheese melts inside, but that gooey cheese is delicious too!
Prep Time: 5 minutes Bake Time: 20 minutes Serves: 9 Bites from One Pastry Sheet
Ingredients:
1 Sheet of Puff Pastry
1 Package of Halloumi Cheese – alternately use mozzarella, cheddar or a cheese of your choice
9 Diced Pieces of Sun-Dried Tomatoes – packed in oil
Sea Salt and Pepper – to taste
½ teaspoon dried Basil, Oregano, Marjoram, Sage or crushed Chili Peppers - optional
1 Egg Yolk – for the pastry egg wash
How It’s Made:
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Line a rimmed cookie sheet with a piece of parchment.
As puff pastry is usually frozen, let it thaw and when ready, gently roll the pastry sheet out to flatten it slightly. Do not make it too thin or it will fall apart as you work with it to make the triangle Bites.
Cut the pastry sheet into three strips and those three strips into 3 squares.
Cut 9 small pieces of the cheese and the sundried tomatoes – and place one of each on each square.
Season each sparingly with salt (as the halloumi is a bit salty already) and more of pepper. Add a pinch of a spice if you are using.
Fold one corner of each square over to meet the other corner. Pinch the 2 open edges together and push the tines of a fork over the edges to further seal the Bite and to pretty it up when it bakes.
Separate the egg, keeping the white in the fridge for use in another recipe or when making scrambled eggs.
Put the triangles on the parchment lined cookie sheet. Brush each with egg yolk.
Bake for 20 minutes until the pastry is golden brown. Remove from the oven and let them sit for 5 minutes to cool.
Put them on a pretty plate and serve! I like to have a small dish of salsa, or a sauce of your choice, to spoon over each bite as it’s eaten. As Halloumi is a mild cheese, salsa adds a very welcome flavour combination to the sun-dried tomato, cheese and puff pastry!
Enjoy!
Variations:
Use any other semi-hard cheese in place of the Halloumi – mozzarella, cheddar, gruyere… or a soft cheese will work as well – brie, cream cheese for a more melty, gooey Bite.
If you have some kimchi, add a bit of that with the cheese and sun-dried tomato for a little kick.
Reheat leftover Bites in a 350°F oven for 5-10 minutes, watching them to make sure they don’t burn or get too brown that they become tough.
