Hot Pâté in Puff Pastry

This classic French dish is quite complex to prepare the conventional way, with homemade puff pastry and a pâté mixture often involving game. But for this recipe, I use a sheet of store-bought puff pastry and make the pâté filling with a combination of sweet and hot Italian sausage. You can use bulk sausage meat or remove the casings from sausages. The pâté can be made ahead and frozen, which is a great plus, and then cooked when needed.

I showed Shorey two different ways to make this pâté. First I prepare two “logs” of pâté, wrapping the filling up in the dough to form a cylindrical shape. These are cut into pieces after they are baked and served as hors d’oeuvres. I then use the remaining dough and filling to make several individual pâtés, which can be served as a first course, along with a salad. Of course, you can instead make three logs for 30 hors d’oeuvres, or use all the dough and filling to make 9 individual pâtés.

Makes 20 hors d’oeuvres, plus 3 individual pâtés

Mix the meat, mushrooms, shallots, garlic, and wine together in a bowl. Divide the mixture into thirds. Beat the egg in a small bowl.

Sprinkle a little flour on your kitchen counter and, using a rolling pin, roll out the pastry sheet into a 12-inch square. Cut the sheet into 3 strips, each about 4 by 12 inches. Shape one third of the meat into a log down the center of one strip of dough. Wet the long edges of the dough with egg, bring the long edges of the dough together, pulling on the dough if you need to extend it, and press the edges together. Brush the log with egg and press on the edges with the tines of a fork to seal them well and create a design. Place the log on a baking sheet lined with nonstick aluminum foil. (Nonstick is important.) Repeat with a second strip of dough and another third of the meat. (The logs can be frozen until ready to bake; bake straight from the freezer.)

For individual pâtés: Cut the third strip of dough into three 4-inch squares. Form the remaining meat into 3 balls and place a meatball in the center of each square of dough. Brush the surrounding dough with egg. Gently fold the four corners of the dough over so they meet in the center, then press down on the dough; each pâté will look like an open flower once it is baked. Brush with egg and place on a baking sheet lined with nonstick foil. (The individual pâtés can also be frozen until ready to bake.)

At baking time, preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Bake the logs and/or individual pâtés until well browned and cooked in the center, 35 to 40 minutes. Let the logs cool for a few minutes, then cut each one into 10 pieces.

To see how it’s done, go to www.surlatable.com/jacquespepin.