Ham & Swiss Puff Pockets<\/a>, and I’d like to have a few more varieties to add to the mix. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Notes on Ingredients<\/h2>\n
You can go as “from scratch” on these as you’d like. You can even make your own puff pastry, or use your own pizza sauce. BUT…I’m lazy, so I go the easy route. <\/p>\n
For the sake of not spending all day in the kitchen, I generally use store-bought puff pastry, and jarred spaghetti or marinara sauce. Because of that, you’ll also see a dish of pizza seasoning in the photo. <\/p>\n
Jarred spaghetti sauce can be pretty bland sometimes, so I like to add pizza seasoning just to bring in a little more flavor. <\/p>\n
If you’re working with pizza sauce you’ve made yourself, you may not need or want any additional seasonings. That’s okay.<\/p>\n
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Working with Puff Pastry<\/h2>\n
You’re going to need to let your pastry thaw before you work with it, so you will need to plan a bit in advance.<\/p>\n
Once thawed, carefully unwrap and unfold your sheets of pastry, being careful with the fold lines (they can have a tendency to tear there). <\/p>\n
Go ahead and cut each sheet into four squares. Working one at a time, roll one section out until it is about 6 to 8 inches square.<\/p>\n
Pro Tip: <\/strong>I like to do this on a silicone mat, but you can use wax paper, parchment paper or just flour your work surface really well. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Assembling the Pizza Hot Pockets<\/h2>\n
Start by spreading 1-2 tablespoons of your pizza\/pasta sauce on one half of the pastry dough, being sure to leave a half-inch border. Sprinkle with a bit of pizza seasoning.<\/p>\n
Next, place 8 slices of pepperoni over the pizza sauce, overlapping slightly to fit.<\/p>\n
Then, add about a 1\/4 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese over the pepperoni slices.<\/p>\n
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Next prepare an egg wash by mixing 1 egg with 1 tablespoon of water. <\/p>\n
Dip a pastry brush into your egg wash and brush the wash gently onto the exposed edges of your pasty. <\/p>\n
Carefully fold the other half of the pasty square over and press down on the edges to seal, then crimp the edges with the tines of a fork.<\/p>\n
Transfer your completed pizza pocket onto a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat, wax paper or parchment paper. <\/p>\n
Then go back and repeat the steps with the remaining pastry dough sections. <\/p>\n
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Freezing Your Puff Pockets<\/h2>\n
Once you’ve finished all 8 puff pockets, place your tray (or trays) directly into the freezer. Allow your puff pockets to freeze until solid.<\/p>\n
Once frozen solid, you can remove the trays from the freezer, wrap the pockets in parchment or wax paper, and place in a gallon-size freezer bag. Label and return to the freezer until you’re ready to make them.<\/p>\n
Suggested Variations<\/h2>\n
You’ll want to experiment with what your family likes best as far as “insides” go. <\/p>\n
Don’t be afraid to try your favorite pizza toppings, or make it a family night and let the kids help create their own!<\/p>\n
Here are some suggestions to get you started. You’ll want your fillings to to be a total of about 1\/2 cup. <\/p>\n
\n- Cheese Pockets<\/strong> – try a combination of several cheeses! Provolone, cheddar, feta, parmesan and mozzarella are all great for this, or go simple and buy a pre-made blend.<\/li>\n
- Meat Lovers Pockets<\/strong> – add in a combination of pepperoni, sausage, ham, ground beef and maybe even some bacon.<\/li>\n
- Cheeseburger Pockets<\/strong> – go with ground beef, diced onions, diced tomatoes, and some cheddar, provolone, and American cheese.<\/li>\n
- Veggie Pockets<\/strong> – add diced onions, diced tomatoes, sliced black olives, sliced mushrooms, some spinach and red bell peppers, and hold it all together with some provolone and mozzarella cheese.<\/li>\n
- Hawaiian Pockets<\/strong> – pile on the ham, bacon, some pineapple tidbits and red peppers, and add in some provolone. If you like your Hawaiian pizza on the sweeter side, you can add in a dollop of barbeque sauce!<\/li>\n
- Supreme Pockets<\/strong> – pepperoni, sausage, diced onions, diced green peppers and don’t forget the mushrooms.<\/li>\n
- Margherita Pockets<\/strong> – go simple with just some great sauce, sliced of fresh mozzarella cheese, and some basil leaves. It’s a classic combo for reason!<\/li>\n
- BBQ Chicken Pockets<\/strong> – make a sauce of half tomato sauce and half barbeque sauce, then add in some diced or shredded chicken (grab some from the deli or get a rotisserie chicken), red onions, a bit of cilantro, and do a cheese mix of half cheddar or Gouda and half mozzarella.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Pro Tip:<\/strong> Want to take your pizza pockets to the next level? Brush your uncooked pockets with egg wash, then sprinkle on some additional pizza seasonings and a bit of garlic salt! Or brush with a tiny bit of butter and a sprinkle of garlic salt just before baking.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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