Puff Pastries with Quark and Salmon

Quark and salmon puff pastries are an exquisite and refined dish, ideal for an appetizer or aperitif. Here is the recipe to prepare them:

Ingredients

• Ready-made shortcrust pastry (1 roll)
• 200g quark (or, if you prefer an Italian alternative, you can use robiola)
• 150g smoked salmon
• Fresh chopped dill (to taste)
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• Salt and pepper (to taste)
• Capers (optional, for garnish)
• Lemon zest (optional, for garnish)

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 200 °C.
2. Roll out the shortcrust pastry and, using a cookie cutter or a glass, cut out circles or shapes of your choice.
3. Place the pastry discs on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, prick them with a fork to prevent them from puffing up too much, and bake in the oven for about 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.
4. Meanwhile, in a bowl mix the quark with the lemon juice, chopped dill, salt and pepper until you obtain a smooth and homogeneous cream.
5. When the shortcrust pastry is ready and has cooled, spread some quark cream on each of the discs.
6. Place a piece of smoked salmon on each pastry disc.
7. If desired, decorate with capers, grated lemon zest and additional chopped dill.
8. Serve the puff pastries immediately or keep them in the refrigerator until serving time.

Trivia

Quark is a fresh cheese of German origin, very similar to yogurt in texture but with a more neutral taste. In Italian cuisine it is not very common, but it can be substituted with creamy cheeses like robiola, which add a touch of Italian flair to the recipe. Quark is also known for being a lighter choice compared to other spreadable cheeses, making this dish not only delicious but also relatively light.