Donal Skehan's ham and cheese tear and share wreath
Donal’s back with the perfect dish for any festive celebration, his savoury tear and share puff pastry wreath. Ham and Gruyere Cheese wrapped in flaky pastry and served with a cranberry dip, this impressive starter or canape is sure to add some festive flare to any family gathering.
Ham & cheese tear and share wreath
Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
For the wreath:400g all-butter puff pastry (defrosted or chilled) 2 tbsp Dijon mustard 1x 100g block mozzarella, coarsely grated200g Gruyère cheese, coarsely grated 250g thinly sliced smoked hamLarge handful chives, finely chopped 1 large egg, beaten1 tbsp sesame seeds Jar of cranberry sauce or tomato relish, to dip
For the sprout salad:2 tbsp white wine vinegar2 tsp Dijon mustard6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil1 garlic clove, grated2 tsp honeySea salt and freshly ground black pepper500g brussels sprouts, roots and outer leaves trimmed125g dried cranberries75g skinless toasted almonds, chopped50g Parmesan cheese, shaved or grated
Method
1. Preheat your oven to 200℃ or 180℃ fan.
2. Roll out the puff pastry into a large rectangle (approximately 45cm x 25cm) onto a floured worktop. (Keep your puff pastry in the fridge until just before you are ready to use it).
3. Turn the pastry so that the long edge is closest to you, and spread the Dijon mustard all over the pastry, leaving a 2cm gap along the opposite long edge.
4. Sprinkle over the mozzarella and Gruyère cheeses. Season with black pepper before layering the ham over the cheese. Finish with a sprinkle of the chives.
5. Roll the pastry tightly up, starting from the long edge closest to you. Egg wash the 2cm gap you left and finally roll everything together, leaving the roll seam side down.
6. Place the roll gently on a lined baking tray. Make light cuts through the pastry, about 2 cm apart, without slicing the whole way through. (Leave the bottom layer of the pastry intact so that all the rolls remain intact bent into shape.)
7. Bring the two ends together to form a wreath. Slightly twist each pastry wheel to reveal the roll. Egg wash the pastry and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
8. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until golden brown and gently bubbling.
9. Slide the baked wreath onto a serving plate, and put a small bowl of cranberry sauce or relish in the middle for dipping. Allow to cool for 10 minutes and then serve.
For the sprout salad:
1. Whisk together the white wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, olive oil, grated garlic, honey, salt and pepper to taste in a small bowl to form the dressing.
2. Using a food processor with a fine blade attachment, shave the brussels sprouts finely, or finely slice with a sharp knife.
3. Add to a large mixing bowl with the dried cranberries, half the almonds and half the Parmesan.
4. Add the dressing to the sprouts and toss gently to combine. Transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle over the remaining nuts and Parmesan cheese before serving.