These delicious Vietnamese meat pastries are filled with ground pork, onions, mushrooms, and seasoning. It uses store bought puff pastry sheets to cut the prep time in half.
Defrost the puff pastry as directed. I usually leave it on the counter for 40 minutes and start working while it is still slightly frozen. [Tip: It is important for the butter inside the puff pastry to remain cold to get the distinct, crispy layers. Keep the dough cold the whole time.]
Carefully unfold the puff pastry sheets and cut them into 3-inch rounds or squares. Place the cut-outs on a parchment paper lined tray (about an inch apart) and place it in the fridge until ready to use.
MAKE THE FILLING
Heat a frying pan on medium high heat, add oil and onions. Let the onions cook for 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Turn off the stove and remove the pan from the heat. Set it aside and let the onion cool down completely.
In a small bowl, beat together 2 egg yolks and 1/2 tablespoon of water. Set it aside for later.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground pork, onion, chicken bouillon powder, five spice seasoning, sugar, salt, pepper, and black fungus (wood ear mushrooms).
ASSEMBLE AND BAKE THE PASTRY
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Take the pre-cut puff pastry out of the fridge. Working as quickly as possible, scoop 1 1/2 tablespoons of the pork mixture filling (1-inch ball) and place it onto the middle of the puff pastry rounds. Fill half of the puff pastries (and save the other half for the top).
Brush the egg wash along the edges of the puff pastry. Place the top puff pastry on the meat filling. Using the tips of a fork, crimp the edges of the rounds to seal the top and bottom together.
Then, use a brush to lightly brush the egg wash onto the tops of each pâté chaud.
Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 145°F.
Serve warm. Enjoy!
Notes
Keep the puff pastry dough cold. To get the distinct, crispy layers in your pastry, it must remain cold. If the dough gets too warm, put it back in the fridge. Work fast since your hands can transfer heat.
Cool the onions completely before adding it to the meat mixture. All ingredients should remain cold before baking them in the oven.
Do a taste test before filling all of the puff pastry. On a microwave-safe plate, put 1 tsp of the meat filling and heat it in the microwave for 30-45 seconds, or until cooked through. Taste it to make sure you like the seasoning, and adjust as needed.