Pea and watercress vol-au-vents

Name: Pea and watercress vol-au-vents
Prep time: 50 min
Cook time: PT15-18M
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: Makes 24 vol au vents
Ingredients: 2 x 375g ready-rolled all-butter puff pastry; 1 medium free-range egg, beaten; For the filling; 250g peas, cooked; 70g watercress, plus extra sprigs to garnish; 30g pecorino or a vegetarian alternative, finely grated, plus extra shavings to garnish; 30g toasted walnuts; 70g crème fraîche; Grated zest and juice ½ lemon; To serve; 150g radishes, sliced (enough for 12 vol au vents); 100g smoked trout (enough for 12 vol au vents); You’ll also need; 6.5cm cutter or a glass; 3-4cm cutter or a shot glass/spice jar lid/bottle top

By: jules.mercer@eyetoeyemedia.co.uk
Former acting food editor, delicious.

Published: 6 May 22
Updated: 18 Mar 24

Test kitchen approved

Serve these moreish vol au vents with a creamy watercress and pea filling, then top with radish or smoked trout to feed a crowd.

Looking for more party food ideas? How about our gunpowder potato puffs?

Makes 24 vol au vents
Hands-on time 50 min. Oven time 15-18 min

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Ingredients

2 x 375g ready-rolled all-butter puff pastry
1 medium free-range egg, beaten

For the filling

250g peas, cooked
70g watercress, plus extra sprigs to garnish
30g pecorino or a vegetarian alternative, finely grated, plus extra shavings to garnish
30g toasted walnuts
70g crème fraîche
Grated zest and juice ½ lemon

To serve

150g radishes, sliced (enough for 12 vol au vents)
100g smoked trout (enough for 12 vol au vents)

You’ll also need

6.5cm cutter or a glass
3-4cm cutter or a shot glass/spice jar lid/bottle top

Method

Heat the oven to 180°C fan/gas 6. Unroll the puff pastry and use a 6.5cm cutter/glass to cut out 48 rounds from the pastry (re-roll the scraps). Put 24 of the rounds on a large lined baking sheet and brush lightly with beaten egg.
With the remaining rounds, cut a 3-4cm circle out of each to form a ring (see Don’t Waste It).
Place the rings on top of the egg-washed rounds, then brush again with egg. Bake in the oven for 15-18 minutes until golden brown, puffed up and cooked through. Set aside to cool.
For the filling, whizz the peas, watercress, cheese and toasted nuts in a food processor. Add the crème fraîche, lemon zest and juice, then season (the cheese may be salty, so go easy).
To fill the vol au vents, spoon in the pea and watercress filling, then top with radish slices or a piece of trout. Garnish with cheese shavings and watercress and serve straightaway.

Recipe from May 2022 Issue

Nutrition

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 155kcals
Fat: 10.2g (5g saturated)
Protein: 3.7g
Carbohydrates: 11.5g (0.7g sugars)
Fibre: 1.4g
Salt: 0.3g

delicious. tips

Don’t waste it: Use any leftover pastry to make cheese straws: roll out pastry, sprinkle with grated cheese and a little salt, then slice into strips and bake with the vol au vents.
Make the vol au vent cases up to 2 days ahead and store in an airtight container.

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