Ham and Cheese Puff Pastry
If you need one recipe in your back pocket for busy mornings, last minute guests, or a lunch that actually feels exciting, this is it. Ham and cheese puff pastry has been one of the most requested recipes on my page for years, and after ten years of testing pastry recipes for a living, I can tell you exactly why it works so well. It uses store bought puff pastry, a handful of pantry staples, and about ten minutes of hands on work before the oven does the rest.
Ingredients
- 1 sheetfrozen puff pastry, thawed
- 6 slicesdeli ham, thin
- 1 cupCheese, shredded
- 1large, beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for the egg wash
- 1 tbspDijon Mustard
- pinchGround Black Pepper
- Flaky sea salt, for finishing
Instructions
- 1
Preheat your oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- 2
Lightly flour your work surface and unfold the thawed puff pastry sheet. Roll it gently just enough to smooth out the fold lines, being careful not to press the edges flat.
- 3
Cut the sheet into 6 to 8 even squares or rectangles, depending on the size you want.
- 4
Spread a thin layer of Dijon mustard on each piece, leaving a small border around the edge.
- 5
Layer a slice of ham and a portion of shredded cheese onto half of each piece of dough.
- 6
Fold the pastry over the filling and press the edges together with a fork to seal.
- 7
Place the pastries on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about two inches apart.
- 8
Brush the tops with the egg wash and sprinkle with a little black pepper and flaky salt.
- 9
Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or until deep golden brown and puffed.
- 10
Cool on a wire rack for five minutes before serving.