These are most definitely not your momma’s pigs in a blanket. This smokies recipe is an upscale take on an old favorite, suitable for serving to company on game day or for a party.
Ingredients:
- 1 pkg. tiny individual smoked sausages (Lil’ Smokies brand is great)
- 1 pkg. brie cheese (a small round is more than enough, or a pie-serving sized wedge)
- raspberry jelly (optional; you could use any fruit spread or leave this out. I use sugar-free)
- 1 box puff pastry (from the frozen food aisle)
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper or use a nonstick baking sheet.
- Open the box of puff pastry and unfold it to let it start thawing.
- Cut lengthwise slits in each little sausage with a paring knife.
- Get out the brie cheese and slice it into little rectangular chunks that are the width of the slit in the little sausages and about 1/2 inch or so tall.
- If you are going to use some type of jelly or jam, put either a skimpy or a generous smear on each piece of brie cheese. (Be guided by how much you want the jam flavor to be noticed.)
- Spread the slit in each sausage open and tuck a piece of brie cheese in each one.
- Pull out a rolling pin or a two liter bottle or a can — or whatever you have handy that will allow you to roll out the puff pastry. I don’t really know what causes it to puff, but your little sausage will look like it’s been swallowed by dough if you don’t carefully roll out the pastry to get it thin. Once you have done so, cut pieces that are 3 inches long and 1/2 inch wide.
- Wrap the long strands of puff pastry you’ve just cut in a spiral around each brie-stuffed sausage. Place on the baking sheet and bake until the pasty is golden brown.
Tips:
You can use swiss cheese in place of brie. When you use the swiss, don’t use the jam and instead use a smear of your favorite mustard, or serve them with a mustard dip.
You can lay these out on a plate or platter if you would like, but that’s not their best angle. Go with a cute lined cone instead.
For your vegetarian friends:
Skip the sausages and go buy a pear. Cut the pear up into chunks. Pair the pear with the brie cheese (wtih or without jam on the cheese) and wrap the puff pastry around it. Bake until the pastry looks pretty and done. Make extra, my meat-eating friends. You will want some of these, too.
Looks like a mess, but this is nonstick, so it worked just fine.
See what I mean about just serving these on a plate or platter? Boring!!
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