Meticulously prepared, vol au vents are one of the most refined delights of French cuisine. We start with the dough, for which we used three sheets of French pastry, each weighing 230 g. It is important to set aside a little dough, as the scraps can be reused for another recipe, thus avoiding waste. From the three sheets, we cut 18 discs, keeping 6 for the tart bases and cutting the other 12 with a smaller circle, thus obtaining decorative rings.
To ensure even puffing of the vol au vents, we brushed each of the 6 discs with egg white on a 1 cm portion at the edge. We place the first ring of dough on top of the base disc, then repeat the process with the second ring and so on. It is essential to prick the base disc with a fork to prevent excessive puffing during baking. Now, we can gently place the vol au vents in the preheated oven at high temperature, where we will bake them until golden and perfectly puffed, a visual and olfactory spectacle.
In the meantime, we turn our attention to the filling. In a pan, we put a piece of butter the size of a walnut to melt. We add the cooked and drained peas, the 6 slices of ham cut into strips, and the cooking cream. We let the mixture come to a boil, so that the sauce reduces a bit, especially if the cream used is too runny. Once the sauce is ready, we take the pan off the heat and add grated parmesan, 1-2 tablespoons, mixing well to achieve a creamy texture.
In a separate pot, we boil tortellini in boiling salted water. Being fresh, they will rise to the surface quickly, so we need to monitor them closely. Once they are ready, we remove them with a slotted spoon, being careful not to break them. We then toss them into the pan with the cream sauce, peas, and ham, stirring gently to maintain the integrity of the tortellini.
For serving, we place one vol au vent on each plate, into which we insert a slice of ham (if it is too large, we cut it to the size of the vol au vent) and then carefully add tortellini with a spoon. On top, we can grate parmesan for added flavor. It is also possible to let a few tortellini fall onto the plate next to the vol au vent, creating a more rustic look.
If you want to impress with a unique presentation, you can opt for a large vol au vent made from the three sheets of dough, which you bake and fill with tortellini, cream, peas, and ham, then cut into slices like a cake when serving. Although it will not be as elegant as the individual vol au vents, it will certainly add a touch of originality to the table. Follow the instructions in Antonia's recipe for details on assembling the vol au vents. The delight is guaranteed!
To ensure even puffing of the vol au vents, we brushed each of the 6 discs with egg white on a 1 cm portion at the edge. We place the first ring of dough on top of the base disc, then repeat the process with the second ring and so on. It is essential to prick the base disc with a fork to prevent excessive puffing during baking. Now, we can gently place the vol au vents in the preheated oven at high temperature, where we will bake them until golden and perfectly puffed, a visual and olfactory spectacle.
In the meantime, we turn our attention to the filling. In a pan, we put a piece of butter the size of a walnut to melt. We add the cooked and drained peas, the 6 slices of ham cut into strips, and the cooking cream. We let the mixture come to a boil, so that the sauce reduces a bit, especially if the cream used is too runny. Once the sauce is ready, we take the pan off the heat and add grated parmesan, 1-2 tablespoons, mixing well to achieve a creamy texture.
In a separate pot, we boil tortellini in boiling salted water. Being fresh, they will rise to the surface quickly, so we need to monitor them closely. Once they are ready, we remove them with a slotted spoon, being careful not to break them. We then toss them into the pan with the cream sauce, peas, and ham, stirring gently to maintain the integrity of the tortellini.
For serving, we place one vol au vent on each plate, into which we insert a slice of ham (if it is too large, we cut it to the size of the vol au vent) and then carefully add tortellini with a spoon. On top, we can grate parmesan for added flavor. It is also possible to let a few tortellini fall onto the plate next to the vol au vent, creating a more rustic look.
If you want to impress with a unique presentation, you can opt for a large vol au vent made from the three sheets of dough, which you bake and fill with tortellini, cream, peas, and ham, then cut into slices like a cake when serving. Although it will not be as elegant as the individual vol au vents, it will certainly add a touch of originality to the table. Follow the instructions in Antonia's recipe for details on assembling the vol au vents. The delight is guaranteed!
Ingredients
For 6 servings: 6 vol au vent with a diameter of 10-12 cm, 300 g of fresh tortellini filled with prosciutto crudo, 12 slices of ham (prosciutto cotto), 100 g of boiled peas, 100 ml of cooking cream, grated parmesan, butter, egg white.