SAVORY BRIOCHE POCKETS

SAVORY BRIOCHE POCKETS image

Yield Makes 12-15 pockets

Number Of Ingredients 12

Ingredients

THE FILLING
4 small red potatoes, peeled
3/4 cup crumbled goat cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
3 TBSP chopped fresh chives
1 onion, chopped
2 TBSP unsalted butter
24 to 30 asparagus tips, 2-3 inches long, blanched and blotted dry
THE POCKETS
1 recipie brioche dough, chilled
2 large egg yolks, beaten
1/4 cup poppy seeds

Steps:

FILLING Steam the potatoes until tender. Drain and mash with a fork in a large bowl. Add goat cheese, stir to mix and season to taste with salt/pepper. When the mixture is cool, stir in the chopped chives. Cook chopped onions in the butter over low heat until caramelized, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Let onions cool to room temperature. Divide the brioche dough in half and keep whichever half is not being worked on in the refrigerator, covered. Roll out dough on a lightly floured cool surface to a thickness of ~1/8". Place on a parchment lined baking sheet, cover lightly with plastic wrap and return to refrigerator while you repeat this with the second half. Pull out the first half of dough and cut out circles with a 4" to 4.5" biscuit cutter. Repeat with other half of dough to get 24 to 30 circles from the entire batch. Chill the cicles if they have gotten soft before filling. Place 1 TBSP onions on half of the circles. Top with 2 TBSP of potato mixture and then 2 asparagus tips. Stretch the unfilled circles by dimpling them with your fingertips. Place on top of filled circle and press down over the mound of filling. Pick up the edges of both circles of dough and roll them in toward the center, folding them over so they form a ring around the filling. Press the rim down gently to seal. (freeze at this point, if desired) Place the pockets on two parchment lined baking sheets and brush with beaten egg yolks. Leave the pockets to rise, uncovered, at room temperature until puffy and spongy to the touch, about 20 minutes. Position racks in oven to divide into thirds and preheat to 350. Give the pockets another coat of egg wash and top with poppy seeds. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until they are beautifully browned, rotating the baking sheets top to bottom and front to back halfway through the baking period. Serve warm or at room temperature.