As seen on The Great American Recipe, S3 EP1.
In Pittsburgh, we love all types of foods that ares stuffed; from pierogi, dumplings, stromboli, and even empanadas. We also have some treasures regional foods from our chipped-chopped ham, to famous ketchup and pickles. In fact we have a festival called Picklesburgh each summer. This Pittsburgh Pocket highlights all of those things, served with a version our ham barbecue sauce for dipping.
Ingredients
For the pockets…
16 ounces Chipped-Chopped Ham, preferably Isaly’s. (Pittsburgh style, very thinly shaved deli ham loaf)
2 sheets Store-bought Frozen Puff Pastry, thawed in refrigerator overnight
1/2 cup Flour
8 ounces Shredded Provolone Cheese
8 ounces Dill Pickle Slices
1 Egg, beaten
For the sauce…
2 tablespoons Butter
1/4 cup White Onion, 1/8 inch dice
1/4 cup diced Sweet Bread and Butter Pickles, 1/8 inch dice
1 cup Ketchup, preferably Heinz
1 rounded tablespoon Light Brown Sugar
2 tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
1 teaspoon Dry Mustard
1/2 teaspoon Sweet Paprika
Method
Preheat oven to 400°F
On a lightly floured surface, roll puff pastry sheets to an approximate 10.5x10.5 inch square, maintaining a square shape. Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, divide each pastry sheet into 4 equal squares. Note: Refrigerate if the pastry is feeling too warm or sticky.
Place provolone cheese, offset diagonally onto each square, keeping 1/2 inch away from edges. Top cheese with roughly 1-2 ounces of ham, and a pickle slice followed by just a bit more ham and cheese to cover.
Lightly brush some water on the edges of the pastry, then fold the other half of the pastry over into a triangle like shape. Tuck corners inside the pocket, then pinch together and crimp with the tip of a butter knife. TIP: Go slow and take your time to be neat.
Place pastry onto parchment lined half sheet pan. With a sharp pairing knife, make 3 cuts into the top of each pastry pocket to allow steam to escape. Brush the surface of each pocket with an egg wash, and bake in the oven for 15-17 minutes, or until golden brown on top and underside.
Meanwhile, in a medium sauce pan, sauté 1/4 cup of finely chopped white onion in butter until translucent and soft. Once onion is softened at 1/4 cup water along with 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar. Add the ketchup, brown sugar, mustard, paprika, and diced pickles. Simmer for 5-10 minutes.
Once baked, transfer pockets from sheet pan, and allow to cool on a wire racker 5-10 min. Serve with a ramekin of the barbecue sauce, and more pickle chips. Enjoy!
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