Vegetable ladder loaf

24 Servings

Ingredients

QuantityIngredient
2mediumsRed, yellow, or orange sweet peppers
cupSpinach; firmly packed
½cupFresh basil; firmly packed
½cupParmesan cheese; grated
1Garlic clove
1Egg; beaten
1packPuff pastry; thawed
¼cupPine nuts or slivered almonds; toasted
2tablespoonsBread crumbs

Directions

1. Roast peppers and remove skin. Cut into strips.

2. Combine spinach, basil, Parmesan cheese, and garlic in food processor and pulse until well combined. Add 1 tablespoon of the beaten egg and process till nearly smooth.

3. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or plain brown paper.

Unfold sheets of pastry. Put one sheet of pastry on a baking sheet. Brush pastry with some of egg. Sprinkle half of bread crumbs in 3 inch strip down center of pastry. Spread half of spinach-basil combination on top of bread crumbs to within one inch of ends. Sprinkle with half of the nuts.

Arrange half of pepper strips evenly over filling.

4. On both sides of filling make 3 inch cuts from the edges toward the center at 1 inch intervals. Starting at one end, alternately fold opposite strips of dough at an angle across filling.

5. Repeat with other half of ingredients.

6. Brush each pastry with beaten egg.

7. Bake at 425¼ for 25 minutes or until puffed and golden brown. Serve warm. Cut each pastry crosswise into six slices, and then each slice in half to make 24 pieces.

Posted to EAT-L Digest 03 Sep 96 Date: Wed, 4 Sep 1996 07:20:36 -0300 From: Betsy Burtis <ebburtis@...>