Festive Cooking: Easter Pate with Hard Boiled Eggs

Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com

In the Christian tradition, Easter is celebrated by offering hard-boiled eggs. In Berry, people decided to hide the eggs under a puff pastry. This pate block can be eaten hot or cold. It would be also a great addition to a buffet.

Preparation : 30 min
Baking : 1 h 15 min
Level of difficulty: medium

Ingredients list: easter berry pie recipe

• 2/3 lb (300g) sausage meat
• 3 1/2 ounces (100g) of veal meat
• 2 slices of ham
• 2 tablespoons bread crumbs
• 1 tablespoon parsley
• 2 onions
• 2 tablespoons Cognac
• 1 lb (400g) puff pastry
• 4 eggs – 1 egg yolk
• 1/3 ounce (10 g) butter
• 1 ounce (30 g) flour (to roll out the dough)
• Salt and pepper

Directions

1. Harden the eggs in boiling water for 10 minutes, starting from when they start to boil.
2. Meanwhile, prepare your stuffing: Mix together the chopped ham, onions, bread crumbs, parsley and walnuts as well as diced veal.
3. Mix the bread crumbs and the sausage meat by hand.
4. Add salt and pepper.
5. Roll out the puff pastry with the rolling pin and make a rectangle about 7 inches by 5 inches (22 cm x 16 cm) and another one of 9 inches by 6 inches (26 cm x 20 cm).
6. Butter and flour a pan large enough to hold the pie.
7. Place the smaller rectangle of dough in the pan and place the meat in the middle.
8. Shape into a block so as to leave 2/3 inch (2 cm) on each side.
9. Peel hard-boiled eggs and embed them in the stuffing.
10. Cover the filling with the second rectangle of puff pastry then fold the edges.
11. Brush the pie with egg yolk and seal the edges well with a fork.
12. You can make some fancy drawings on the puff pastry with a knife. Shape later drawings on the block.
13. Remember to make two small holes on top of the dough to let steam escape and avoid any “explosion”.
14. Put in the oven (no preheating) at 375°f (190°c) for 1h15. It should get golden brown and well cooked inside.

Serve this pate hot with a green salad or dandelion greens.