Italian Apricot Pastries with Cheddar
Ingredients
11 oz.
Kowalski's Dried Apricots (from the Bulk Foods Section)
- hot water, as needed
½ pkg. (1 sheet)
frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed but still cold
⅓ cup
chopped walnuts
- zest of 1 lemon
¾ tsp.
kosher salt
⅓ cup
Kowalski's Pure Honey, plus more for garnish
1 tsp.
freshly squeezed lemon juice
¼ tsp.
fresh thyme leaves, plus small sprigs for garnish
1
egg, beaten with 1 tbsp. water
- turbinado sugar, for sprinkling
4 oz.
Milton Creamery Prairie Breeze Cheddar Cheese (from the Specialty Cheese Department), cut into 8 slices
Directions
- Soak apricots for 20 min. in a shallow baking dish with just enough hot water to cover. When done, drain apricots and squeeze to remove extra liquid; set aside.
- While apricots soak, cut a pastry sheet into 6 rectangles (about 4 ½ x 3 ½" each); arrange 1" apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Freeze for 5 min.
- Using a butter knife, lightly score a ½" border around the edges of the pastry sheets.
- Prick the center of each pastry sheet all over with a fork; brush with egg wash. Set prepared pastry sheets aside.
- Preheat oven to 375°.
- Coarsely chop drained apricots.
- In a medium mixing bowl, toss chopped apricots with walnuts, zest, salt, honey, lemon juice and thyme leaves.
- Divide apricot-nut mixture evenly among pastries, taking care to stay inside the scored borders (if mixture drips or falls off the pastry onto the baking sheet, it will burn).
- Sprinkle borders of pastry sheet with sugar.
- Bake in preheated oven until puffed and golden (about 20-22 min.); let stand for 10 min.
- Transfer pastries to individual serving plates. Drizzle with honey; garnish with a slice of cheese and fresh thyme sprig.
Tasty Tip:
- The topping for these pastries makes a delicious mix-in for plain Greek yogurt.
