Ingredients
Puff Pastry Base
- 1 Sheet Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry – thawed
- 1 egg
- 1 Tablespoon water
Toppings
- 4 ounces cream cheese – softened
- 2-3 ounces smoked salmon
- 1 lemon (zested and cut into wedges)
- Jarred capers
- Fresh dill
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 400°F (204°C) to prepare for baking the puff pastry.
- Prepare the puff pastry: Unfold the sheet of thawed puff pastry onto a lightly floured surface. Using a knife, cut along the pre-scored seams of the pastry sheet, then cut each resulting strip in half to create smaller rectangles.
- Score and prick: Score each puff pastry rectangle about 1/2 inch from the edges without cutting all the way through, to help the edges rise. Prick the centers gently with a fork to prevent excessive puffing.
- Transfer to baking sheet: Place the prepared pastry rectangles onto a lightly greased baking sheet, ensuring they are spaced slightly apart for even baking.
- Apply egg wash: In a small bowl, beat the egg with 1 tablespoon of water. Using a pastry brush, evenly brush this egg wash over the entire surface of each puff pastry rectangle to achieve a beautiful golden color.
- Bake: Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake for about 10 minutes, or until the pastry is puffed up and golden brown.
- Cool pastries: Remove from oven and allow the puff pastries to cool completely before adding any toppings to prevent sogginess.
- Assemble the appetizers: Spread a generous layer of softened cream cheese onto each cooled puff pastry. Top with smoked salmon slices, a few capers, a sprinkle of fresh lemon zest, and a small sprig of fresh dill. Serve each with a wedge of lemon on the side for an extra fresh burst of flavor.
Notes
- Make sure the puff pastry is fully thawed before working with it to prevent cracking.
- Scoring the edges helps the center puff up beautifully while keeping the edges neat and defined.
- You can substitute fresh salmon for smoked salmon if desired, but the flavor will be different.
- Serve immediately after assembling to keep the puff pastry crisp.
- For a dairy-free version, substitute cream cheese with a vegan alternative.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Low Salt
