Finocchiona Puff Pastry Roses

Finocchiona puff pastry roses are a tasty appetizer with great visual impact, perfect for surprising your guests. Here’s how to prepare them:

Ingredients

• 1 roll of rectangular puff pastry
• 100 g of finocchiona, thinly sliced
• 100 g of sliced cheese that melts well, such as fontina or provola
• A little milk or an egg for brushing

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C.
2. Unroll the puff pastry roll and cut it into horizontal strips about 5 cm wide.
3. On the upper half of each strip, arrange a slice of finocchiona, taking care not to completely cover the pastry.
4. Place a slice of cheese on the finocchiona.
5. Fold the lower half of the pastry over the filling to cover it.
6. With a sharp knife, cut each folded strip into three or four pieces, depending on the length.
7. Roll each piece onto itself, starting from one end, to form a rosette.
8. Arrange the roses on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
9. Brush the roses with a little milk or beaten egg so they turn golden during baking.
10. Bake for about 15-20 minutes, or until puffed and golden.

Serve the finocchiona puff pastry roses hot or warm; they will be a great start to any meal.

Trivia

Finocchiona is a typical Tuscan cured meat, famous for its spicy aroma given by the fennel seeds it contains. If you love this recipe, you could also experiment with other cured meats, such as mortadella or cooked ham, for variations on the theme.