THIS is when they ask if it was catered…

posted by Rod on January 22, 2011 4 comments »

Pesto infused, pastry wrapped brie…

Many times we’ve entertained and answered the same question – “Who catered?” Little tricks that were a result of us wanting to make it different and add that professional look. It makes for some great conversation.

The following brie is one of those tricks – not rocket science, but well loved by many. And, the possibilities are endless. This recipe* includes pesto, but we’ve also used sun-dried tomatoes, jams and nuts. Give it a try.

Step One: Roll out a prepared pastry dough. Not too much, but enough to wrap around Brie.

Step Two: Slice a round of brie in half as pictured.

Step Three: Spread pesto on one of the brie cut’s side. Note: We use a variety of things – sun-dried tomatoes, candied pecans, chopped prosciutto, etc. Use your imagination.

Step Four: Close brie by placing two divided pieces together (returning to its original state).

Step Five: Place on prepared pastry dough and start to wrap as pictured. Place wrapped brie either seam side down (flip), or keep seam side up (but pinch pieces together to seal, and coat with egg wash.

Place in baking dish and bake until golden brown. It will grow a bit, but you’ll want to make sure the dough is done (don’t be too tempted to remove from oven – you don’t want raw dough). Let cool (so brie can solidify a bit).

Enjoy, and impress.

*When I say ‘recipe’ I tend not to include too many measurements. Rather, it’s from gut, or eye. As with this ‘recipe,’ no real measurements needed – just eye the pesto (okay, maybe 2 tablespoons).

posted by Rod on January 22, 2011

4 comments »

Rod

Combining his love of food and communications, Rod is a marketing guru with extensive experience in the healthcare, restaurant and luxury services industry. Rod’s special talent is cooking. He makes magic in the kitchen by relying on fresh foods and unique flavors. He is married to Beth, and together they have two little girls. Rod and Beth have the perfect Live Pretty partnership: he cooks fabulous dishes and she creates the beautiful ambiance that combines to make their events special and unforgettable.

4 Responses to “THIS is when they ask if it was catered…”

J Holbrook — February 6, 2011 @ 11:21 am (#
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Bake @ what temp? Can you give an estimate of time for a smaller 7oz wheel? These are details us non-cook types need!

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Wendie — February 9, 2011 @ 3:27 pm (#
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Temp would probably be what is suggested on the Puff Pastry package.

And Apricot or Cranberry Chutney would be great with this too!

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Wendie — February 9, 2011 @ 3:28 pm (#
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PS Thanks Rod! I’d always wanted to see how you did this.

[Reply]
Rod — February 12, 2011 @ 8:51 am (#
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Yes, follow the pastry package as a guide. You’ll perfect this.

And, Apricot would be awesome. I’ve done cranberry as well. Try the sun-dried tomatoes.

[Reply]