Yes, our editors love to cook, but sometimes we need to get dinner on the table ASAP. In these moments, we look to kitchen helpers, humble ingredients that can quickly form the base of full-on delicious meals. Each month, we’ll be giving you fuss-free recipe ideas to call upon any day of the week. This month, it’s all about puff pastry.
Reliable and versatile, a box of frozen puff pastry forms the base of party snacks, breezy weeknight dinners, and showstopping desserts. From party samosas to a hearty turkey pot pie, here are all the ways our editors make an impressive dish out of the ready-to-bake sheets.
Spanakopita twists
This Spinach and Feta Tarte Soleil makes hosting feel easy. Your guests will think you folded and rolled out dough all day, when in reality, the whole thing is ready in 30 minutes. It’s engaging—everyone can pull off their own spanakopita-esque twist from this giant circle of buttery puff pastry. It’s also adaptable; I’ve filled the puff with chocolate-hazelnut spread and dusted it with powdered sugar. I’ve also made a pesto and Parmesan wheel with marinara dipping sauce. Follow the puff pastry prep in the recipe and choose your own adventure. —Jaia Clingham-David, research fellow
Quick Brie galette
As the holiday season looms, you’ll typically find a box or two of frozen puff pastry tucked away in my freezer. They’re great for fast apps or sweet tarts, but lately, I’ve been using the pastry to make a galette for dinner. It takes 5 minutes to prep and is slicked with fig jam (I sometimes do apricot) and planks of Brie. As it bakes, the ingredients bubble up and turn molten. I like to serve it with a vinegary arugula salad piled on top (and spilling over the sides) to meal-ify the whole thing. —Nina Moskowitz, associate editor, cooking
Portable hand pies
For a quick portable dessert or snack, I use puff pastry to make sweet-and-savory hand pies. I roll out sheets of the pastry and cut them into equal sections, filling o