Passover Gougères With Leeks and Mushrooms
The dough for these Passover gougères is fast and easy to make. It is essentially pâte à choux — the dough used to make cream puffs and éclairs — but made with matzo meal instead of flour, which is forbidden during Passover. Like other cream puff shells, those made for Passover are best on the day they are baked.
You can substitute any flavorful, sliceable kosher-for-Passover cheese for the smoked Gouda. If you would like pareve Passover appetizer puffs, substitute margarine for the butter and omit the cheese altogether.
From the story: Tired of traditional Passover food? Try making profiteroles
Position a rack in the center or just below the center of the oven and heat to 400 degrees. Grease the corners of two baking sheets and line them with parchment paper.
In a small saucepan, combine the butter, olive oil, salt and water and heat over medium-low heat until the butter melts. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Add the matzo cake meal all at once, then reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture becomes a thick paste, about 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and scrape the paste into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, or a large bowl, and let cool for 5 minutes.
Add one egg to the mixture and beat on low speed, or use a wooden spoon, until completely incorporated. Continue adding the remaining eggs, beating until fully incorporated before adding the next. Season with pepper and cayenne, and beat until incorporated and the mixture is smooth. Finally, add the cheese and stir to combine.
Using rounded tablespoons or 1/2-ounce ice cream scoops, portion and drop mounds of dough on the prepared baking sheets, spacing each about 1 ½ inches apart. If there are points on the mounds, moisten your finger with water and push them down.
Place one baking sheet in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees and continue baking until the mounds are puffed, golden brown and firm to the touch, 15 to 20 minutes more. Turn off oven and wedge the door slightly open with wooden spoon, leaving the gougères in the oven for 30 minutes to give them time to dry out. Remove the gougères from the oven. Using the point of a paring knife, pierce each at the center of one side to allow steam to escape. Heat the oven to 400 degrees again and repeat baking the second sheet of gougères in the same manner.
Just before serving, rewarm the Leek and Mushroom Filling and adjust the seasoning, if necessary. Using a serrated knife, carefully cut off the top half of each gougère and reserve its “hat” with its base. Fill the gougères, and serve warm or at room temperature.
Leek and Mushroom Filling
Cut off and discard the dark green tops of the leeks, saving the white and light green parts. Halve the leeks lengthwise, leaving them attached at the base, and rinse them thoroughly under running water, spreading the layers to rinse off any sand between them. Cut the leek halves crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Transfer the leeks to a large bowl, cover with cold water and rub to separate the pieces. Let stand for 5 minutes to allow any sand to fall to the bottom of the bowl. Using a slotted spoon or spider, remove the leeks from the water and transfer to paper towels to drain; discard the water.
Using a knife and cutting board or a food processor, finely chop the parsley. Add the garlic and continue chopping, or pulsing, until the two are finely minced together.
Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons each olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the butter melts. Add the mushrooms, season liberally with salt and pepper and cook, undisturbed, until they begin to brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Increase the heat to high, and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are lightly browned and any liquid has evaporated, additional 4 or 5 minutes. Transfer the mushrooms to a plate, and wipe the skillet clean with paper towels.
Return the skillet to medium-low heat and heat the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons each olive oil and butter until the butter melts. Add the leeks, season with salt and pepper, then cover the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the leeks are very tender, 18 to 20 minutes. If there is still liquid in the pan, uncover the pan, increase the heat to medium, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid evaporates, about 3 minutes more. If using, stir in the cream and cook, stirring, until it is absorbed into the leeks, about 4 minutes.
Return the mushrooms to the skillet, along with the parsley and garlic mixture and the cayenne and stir to combine and warm the mushrooms. Taste, and adjust seasoning. Remove the skillet from the heat and use the filling right away or let cool, then cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Rewarm the filling before using.
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