Gruyère, Apricot, and Prosciutto "Hot Pockets"
Many of us have nostalgic memories of Hot Pockets for breakfast or an after-school snack. But the reality of these savory hand pies often doesn’t live up to the memory. This recipe takes the flaky pastries we remember and love and combines them with flavors that are all grown up.
Ingredients
- 14 ounces frozen puff pastry
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 shallot thinly sliced
- 3 ounces dried apricots about 8, cut into strips
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
- 1 tablespoon water
- 4 ½ ounces about ½ cup Gruyère, grated
- 2 ½ ounces prosciutto 5 to 6 slices
Instructions
- Thaw the puff pastry according to package instructions.
- Heat oven to 415°F. Prepare a rimmed baking sheet with a bit of olive oil.
- In a small pan over low heat, heat 2 teaspoons olive oil. Add shallot, and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and caramel brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Add the apricots, thyme, and water. Cook until the water evaporates.
- Unfold the puff pastry, and spread half of the grated Gruyère along one lengthwise half, leaving a ½-inch bare edge for the two pieces of pastry to connect. Lay out pieces of prosciutto perpendicular to the puff pastry. Half of the prosciutto should overlap the Gruyère, and half should be only on the puff pastry. Spread the apricot filling along the half of the prosciutto that is on top of the Gruyère. Fold the prosciutto slices over the apricot filling, and top with the other half of the Gruyère.
- Paint the edges of the puff pastry with the beaten egg. Fold the puff pastry over so it sandwiches the prosciutto and cheese. Trim away the excess puff pastry, and use a fork to seal the edges. Paint the top of the pastry with more beaten egg.
- Shift the sealed puff pastry onto the prepared baking sheet, and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until puffy and golden brown.
- Remove pastry from the oven, and allow to cool for 3 minutes. Using a knife or pastry cutter, cut the pastry into pieces. Serve warm.
Amy Scheuerman
Amy Scheuerman—culture's former web director—spent eight years in North Carolina where she developed a love of barbecue and biscuits before moving up north to get a degree in nutrition. She now works at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum.
Photographer Evi Abeler
Evi Abeler is a food and still life photographer based in New York City. She helps art directors, cookbook authors and designers to communicate the love, passion and thought that goes into every project and creates modern, yet classic images. Her clients in advertising, publishing, hospitality and retail include Food & Wine Magazine (which named her Digital Food Award Winner), Harper Collins Publishing and Whole Foods Markets.
Stylist Laura Knoop
Laura Knoop is a New York City-based food stylist with a studio in Harlem.
