OCWS member Elee Phillips made the popular Cranberry, Brie and Pancetta Bites for the Winemakers Goup’s Christmas Party in December. By all accounts, it was a real hit.
“Baked brie is one of my—and many of my friends’—favorite appetizers,” Elee says. “But I wanted something different and easier to serve to a crowd. That’s when I came across the recipe on the Well Plated by Erin website.
The original recipe called for roasted pecans and rosemary sprigs and since Elee is allergic to nuts and “can’t stand biting into little leaves of rosemary,” she came up with an alternative—pancetta!
Cranberry, Brie and Pancetta Bites
Ingredients:
1 sheet puff pastry
1 small round brie cheese
8 oz. cranberry orange sauce (I used this recipe: but you can use any jam
2 slices pancetta (approx. 1/8” thick)
Oil
Directions:
PREHEAT oven to 375°; spray mini muffin tin with cooking spray.
ROLL OUT and cut sheet of puff pastry into 24 2” squares.
PRESS one square into each muffin cup.
CUT brie in half horizontally and dice the one half into about ½” cubes.
PLACE one cube in each cup.
DICE pancetta into small (approx. 1/8”) cubes.
SAUTEE small cubes in 1 tsp. of oil until crisp; drain on paper towel and wait until cool.
SCOOP 1 tsp. cranberry sauce into each cup (I use a small melon baller).
SPRINKLE pancetta over each cup.
BAKE for 18-20 minutes or until pastry is golden brown. Serve and enjoy!
Got something delicious to share? Please send your recipes to George Cravens at george@ocws.org for possible publication on the OCWS website.