Description

This Creamy Mushroom Puff Pastry Braid is a deliciously savory appetizer or light meal featuring a rich mushroom and cheese filling wrapped in flaky puff pastry. The filling combines sautéed onions, garlic, mushrooms, and a creamy mixture of cream cheese and parmesan, seasoned with oregano, pepper, and fresh parsley. The puff pastry is carefully braided to create an impressive visual, then brushed with egg wash for a golden, crisp finish. Perfect for entertaining or a cozy dinner, this recipe yields 10 generous servings.

Ingredients

Scale

Vegetables and Herbs

1 small onion (finely diced)
10 oz mushrooms (cleaned and sliced)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley

Dairy

8 oz cream cheese
3/4 cup parmesan cheese (finely grated)
2 large eggs (divided into two separate bowls)

Pantry

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

Others

1 sheet puff pastry

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Instructions

Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C) and line a large baking tray with parchment paper to prevent sticking and facilitate easy cleanup.
Sauté Onions: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, then add the finely diced onions. Stir regularly and cook until the onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
Cook Mushrooms and Garlic: Add sliced mushrooms and minced garlic to the softened onions. Stir well and cook until the mushrooms release their moisture and become browned and tender, approximately 5 to 8 minutes.
Create Creamy Filling: Reduce the heat to low, then add cream cheese, grated parmesan cheese, oregano, salt, black pepper, and chopped parsley into the skillet. Stir thoroughly to combine into a soft, creamy mixture. Remove the skillet from heat.
Incorporate Egg: Add one of the whisked eggs to the creamy mushroom mixture. Stir quickly to evenly incorporate the egg, which helps bind the filling.
Prepare Puff Pastry: Remove the puff pastry sheet from the refrigerator and unroll it onto a sheet of parchment paper. Visualize dividing the pastry into thirds and cut approximately eight equal diagonal strips along each side. Then, trim the top corners off and create a small oval cut at the top center to shape the braid.
Assemble Braid: Spread the mushroom filling evenly down the center section of the pastry, leaving about a 1/2 inch (1 cm) space at both the top and bottom edges. Fold the center section over the filling. Alternately fold the diagonal strips over the filling, overlapping each strip to form a braid pattern. Gently press the edges to seal the braid securely.
Brush with Egg Wash and Bake: Transfer the pastry on its parchment paper to the prepared baking tray. Brush the top of the pastry braid with the remaining whisked egg to achieve a golden finish. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 22 minutes, or until the pastry is puffed and golden brown.
Cool and Serve: Remove from the oven and allow the pastry braid to cool for about 10 minutes before slicing. Cut into 10 slices and serve warm for the best flavor and texture experience.

Notes

Ensure the mushrooms are cooked down well to avoid excess moisture making the pastry soggy.
Chilling the puff pastry before unrolling helps prevent sticking and breaking.
Use parchment paper both for unrolling the pastry and baking to make handling easier and cleanup faster.
The filling can be prepared a few hours ahead of time and kept refrigerated, but assemble the braid just before baking for the best puff texture.
For a vegetarian version, ensure the puff pastry contains no animal-derived ingredients (many puff pastries are already vegetarian).
Feel free to add other herbs like thyme or rosemary to the filling for variation.