The most festive dish of the year, Pesto & Cranberry Puff Pastry Wreath! A delicious center piece, a seasonal appetizer, the winning plate at your Christmas party. Step by step instructions and full recipe below. Merry Christmas to all!
Collard Pesto:
2 packed cups (about 3 ounces) collard greens, coarsely shredded
2 heaping tablespoons walnut or pecan halves
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon Kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
¼ cup olive oil
Wreath:
1 package – 2 (17.3 ounces) frozen puff pastry sheets, defrosted but cold
½ cup canned jellied cranberry sauce
1 (7 ounces) small round brie cheese
1 large egg
Rosemary or thyme, fresh or dried
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Honey, for drizzling
What you do:
1. To make collard pesto, bring a medium pot of water to a boil and add greens. Blanch until the collards are bright green, about 1 minute. Drain the collards and run them under cold water to stop the cooking process. Dry them in a salad spinner or with paper towels.
2. Toast the walnuts in a small, dry pan over low heat until they smell nutty. Add the nuts to a food processor or blender along with the blanched greens, garlic powder, salt, pepper and olive oil. Pulse until the pesto just comes together. This can be done ahead and refrigerated, if you like.
3. Preheat the oven to 400F. Place one sheet of pastry on parchment paper and use a rolling pin to roll it out slightly thinner. Spread the pesto in a donut shape around the pastry, leaving the middle empty where the brie will sit. Cover the pesto with the cranberry sauce.
4. Roll out the second sheet of puff pastry slightly thinner and place it on top of the filling. Use a paring knife to round each of the corners to create a circular wreath shape. Use the brie as a guide to cut a circle in the middle of the pastry. Place the brie inside of the opening.
5. Make 4 cuts in the wreath (12 o’clock, 3 o’clock, 6 o’clock, 9 o’clock) stopping about ½” from the brie. Then, make 3 additional cuts, equally spaced, inside each quadrant. You should be left with 16 equal strands of pastry.
6. Starting with any two adjacent strands, twist each outward once and then twice. Press the ends together to seal. Repeat this with the remaining strands.
7. In small bowl, whisk the egg with 1 Tablespoon of water. Use a pastry brush to coat the entire pastry with the egg wash. Sprinkle with herbs and a generous pinch of salt and pepper.
8. Transfer the parchment to a sheet pan and bake about 30 minutes or until the wreath is golden brown and bubbly. Drizzle with honey and serve hot with molten brie.