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Puff pastry is one of the most delicious things in this world – crispy, flaky, buttery, and filled with goodness. At times when we crave the puffs but are too lazy to pull out the pastry sheets and roll them out, etc., we turn to the Pepperidge Farm puff pastry shells. And at times when we are too lazy to even whip up a quick filling for the shells, be it savory or sweet, we stick a hunk of whatever soft cheese we have on hand and end up with a deliciously decadent, ridiculously easy-to-make appetizer.
This is a simple, straightforward recipe for days when you want to just pop a couple of these in the toaster oven for a quick snack, or for when you have the oven cranked up for a day of baking and want a bonus appetizer without any extra effort. This can also stand in as a deceptively sophisticated-looking Hors d’oeuvre, and you could easily kick it up a notch by just mixing a few spices, herbs or veggies in with the cheese. Over the weekend, the wife and I just wanted to snuggle in and not do too much cooking, so we kept it simple and used up a dollop of some flavored goat-cheese that we had on hand to enjoy a hot snack on a cold Sunday night.
THE RECIPE: Ridiculously easy Goat Cheese Pastry Shells
YOU’LL NEED:
- 1 packet frozen Puff Pastry Shells, usually has 6 shells in it (Pepperidge Farms’ are the only ones we get around here)
- 6 rounds of Flavored Goat-cheese (or whatever cheese you have on hand), sized to fit neatly into the hollow of the shells
THE METHOD:
- Pre-heat oven to 350deg (or as mentioned on the shells packet)
- Remove shells from freezer once oven is at the desired temperature (DO NOT thaw)’ remove from packet and place on baking sheet with atleast 3inches space between each
- Bake for 15 mins or as directed on packet; do not bake till fully browned
- Remove from the oven and CAREFULLY remove the top (using the tines of a fork works for us)
- Put in the goat cheese rounds, one per shells, and replace the tops
- Pop back in the oven for another 5 mins or so, till the shells are fully browned and cheese is bubbling slightly.
- Let cool for a few mins and enjoy!