November/December 2009
Savories
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
- 4 large eggs
- 1 large egg yolk (for egg wash)
- 3 tablespoons milk (for egg wash)
- Smoked fish spread or filling of choice
Generously butter two cookie sheets, then rinse them under cold water. Shake off excess water. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Combine water, butter, and salt in medium saucepan, and bring to rolling boil. (Make sure all butter has melted.) Remove from heat and stir in flour. Return pan to medium heat, and dry paste 7 to 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Cool slightly, then stir in eggs one at a time. Pour dough into pastry bag fitted with ½-inch round tip, and pipe 1- to 1½-inch mounds about 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheets.
Whisk together egg yolk and milk. Lightly brush mixture atop each mound.
Bake 20 to 25 minutes until mounds are very puffy and lightly browned. Pierce side of each puff with toothpick or cake tester in last 5 to 10 minutes of baking to dry insides of puffs. Cool completely before filling.
Cut each puff in half. Fill with 1 to 2 tablespoons smoked fish spread or filling of choice. Puffs best served soon after filling, or they will get soggy.
