- 20 medium button mushrooms
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tbsp chopped lemon thyme leaves
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp tapenade
- 2 tbsp creme fraiche
- All purpose flour, for dusting
- One 17.3 oz (484g) package thawed frozen puff pastry (2 sheets)
- 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten with 1 tsp water
- Baking sheet 2½ in (6cm)
- 1¾ in (4.5cm) round pastry cutters
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Put the mushrooms, olive oil, lemon thyme, and salt and pepper in a bowl and mix together. In another bowl, stir together the tapenade and créme fraîche.
- Unroll the pastry onto a lightly floured work surface. Stamp out 20 circles using the larger pastry cutter. Use the smaller pastry cutter to cut a shallow circle inside each round, making sure you don't cut all the way through.
- Transfer the circles to the baking sheet. Spoon tapenade mixture in the center of each round and place a mushroom on top.
- Lightly brush the edges of the pastry circles with the yolk mixture. Bake for about 15 minutes until golden and puffed up. Serve hot or warm.
- Variations
- Chicken and Pesto Vol-au-vents
- Omit the mushrooms. Substitute 3 tbsp pesto for the tapenade. Top with equal amounts of ¾ cup finely diced cooked chicken, then sprinkle with 2 tbsp pine nuts.
- Smoked Salmon and Ricotta Vol-au-vents
- Omit the tapenade mixture and mushrooms. Substitute 5oz (150g) hot-smoked salmon, flaked, with 4 tbsp ricotta cheese and 2 tbsp dill.