Bacon, Egg and Cheese Hot Pocket

Handheld breakfast

I love egg and cheese croissants, but I am never impressed with the quality of store-bought croissants. I also don’t have the time to make croissants, so I figured I would create a proper alternative.

Puff pasty, while not the same as croissant dough, is a wonderful alternative - packed with layers of flaky pastry and butter, this is the essential egg, bacon, and cheese vehicle.

You can make a few of these ahead of time and pop them in the oven before eating. Alternatively, you can make a large batch ahead and just reheat them as you so desire. Either way, this recipe is a must.

Naturally, as I always say, this is nothing more than a framework for a great recipe. You can fill the pastry with any filling - sweet or savory. The key is to roll the pastry and filling, bake for about 20 minutes, then brush with eggwash to brown the exterior to a golden color. The pastry needs time to bake and steam the layers apart, so time in the oven is the key. In addition, in regards to the filling, make sure it’s slightly undercooked, as it will finish in the oven.

Shoot me your variations; I’d love to learn more.

Email me with any questions: andrewgruel@gmail.com

Ingredients:

1 package of store-bought puff pastry (it comes with 2 sheets, about 1 lb). The key is to work with roughly an 8-inch by 12-inch rectangle)

7 eggs

10 slices of bacon

1 cup cheddar cheese (grate with a microplane if you have one, it will melt better)

2 scallions

Instructions:

1. Thaw your puff pastry and lay it out on a cutting board or directly on the counter. If it breaks, just crimp it back together.

2. Scramble 6 eggs (set the 7th egg aside for egg wash) - Make sure you undercook the eggs a touch, they should be softly scrambled.

3. Cook your bacon somewhat crispy. Set aside

4. Grate your cheddar cheese with a microplane.

5. To assemble, lay the ingredients down on the front part of the puff pastry and roll it up like a burrito. Make sure the seam is on the bottom and place it on a lightly buttered sheet pan.

6. Slice three slits in the top and bake in a 400 F oven for about 20 minutes.

7. While the pastry is baking, beat the 7th egg. After 20 minutes, brush the pastry with the egg wash and place back in the oven for about 10-15 minutes or until it’s golden brown.

8. Pull and serve.