Italian Brunch Torte and Petits Pains Au Chocolat

Are you looking for something to make for Easter Brunch? If so, I think these 2 recipes would be a great addition to your menu.

This recipe came out of Taste of Home magazine.

Italian Brunch Torte

• 2 tubes (8 0z. each) refrigerated crescent rolls, divided use.
• 1 pkg. (6 oz) baby spinach.
• 1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
• 1 tsp. olive oil
• 7 eggs (divided use)
• 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 2 tsp. Italian seasoning
• 1/8 Tsp. 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 1/2 lb thinly sliced deli ham
• 1/2 lb thinly sliced hard salami
• 1/2 lb sliced provolone cheese
• 2 jars (12 oz. each) roasted red peppers, drained, sliced and patted dry (this is important. It may take several paper towels. You can even squeeze the liquid out of the peppers)
• My additions: 3 cloves garlic, minced, 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, diced and a pinch of red pepper flakes.

Place a greased 9-in. springform pan on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 18 in. square). Securely wrap foil around pan. Place the pan on a cookie sheet or pizza pan. It will overflow! Separate one tube crescent dough into eight triangles; press onto bottom of prepared pan. Bake at 350° for 10-15 minutes or until set.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium heat, cook spinach and mushrooms in oil until spinach is wilted. cook mushrooms in oil for approximately 1 minute. Add garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add spinach and sun-dried tomatoes. Cook until spinach is wilted. Place between two paper towels and blot to remove excess liquid. (I did not find this necessary) In a large bowl, whisk six eggs, Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, pepper and red pepper flakes.

Layer prepared crust with half of the ham, salami, provolone cheese, red peppers, spinach mixture and egg mixture. Repeat layers.

Separate remaining crescent dough; press triangles together to form a top crust. Place over casserole. Whisk remaining egg; brush over dough.

Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 1 to 1-1/4 hours or until a thermometer reads 160°. Cover loosely with foil if top browns too quickly. Carefully run a knife around edge of the pan to loosen; remove sides of pan. Let stand for 20 minutes before slicing. Yield: 12 servings.

Ingredient Line Up.

Press one tube of crescent rolls into a springform pan and bake.

Saute mushrooms on olive oil

Add garlic.

Add spinach and tomatoes. Cook until spinach is wilted.

Make sure to really try to get all the liquid out of the peppers. I used a 28 oz can of roasted peppers.

Whisk 6 eggs and add pepper, Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes.

Add parmesan cheese to eggs.

Start layering on top of baked crescent rolls. 1/2 of ham is first.

Then 1/2 of salami. I used a little less than 1/2 lb total.

1/2 of provolone cheese.

1/2 of peppers

1/2 of Spinach mixture.

1/2 of egg mixture. Then repeat layers.

Top with other tube of crescent rolls. Whisk egg and brush top of crescent roll with the egg. Pop into the oven.

Italian Brunch Torte

This is dish is very pretty and tasty. I was happy that I added  sun-dried tomatoes and the extra pepper. In the ingredient photo I had a peppered salami in the photo. After adding the extra pepper and flakes, I decided that might be too much pepper. So I used regular hard salami instead.

The next recipe I clipped out of a Bon Apetit magazine. Petits Pains AU Chocolat It is super easy. I think they would also be very good stuffed with Nutella, almond paste or jams…especially Nutella

Petits Pains Au Chocolat

• 2 sheets frozen puff pastry (one 17.3-ounce package), thawed, each sheet cut into 12 squares.
• 1 large egg beaten to blend with 1 water (for glaze)
• sugar
• 4 3.5-ounce bars imported bittersweet or milk chocolate, each cut into six 2×3/4-inch pieces

Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Brush top of each puff pastry square with egg glaze. Place 1 chocolate piece on edge of 1 pastry square. Roll up dough tightly, enclosing chocolate. Repeat with remaining pastry and chocolate. Place pastry rolls on baking sheet, seam side down. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover pastries with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Cover and refrigerate remaining egg glaze.)

Preheat oven to 400°F. Brush tops of pastry rolls with remaining egg glaze. Sprinkle lightly with sugar. Bake until pastries are golden brown, about 15 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Cut thawed puff pastry into squares. I found it hard to do 12... you can see they are not very squared. I think maybe cutting them into 9 might be better. That way you can really wrap the dough around the chocolate.

Place chocolate at the end.

Roll up and make sure to seal the seam. I had problems that some popped open. I believe because some squares were too small and did not seal all the way.

Place on parchment paper. Brush with egg mixture.

Sprinkle with sugar and bake.

Petits Pains Au Chocolat

~Relish Food & Life

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