Crisp and cheesy puff pastry cups filled with the perfect combination of delicate artichokes and savory pancetta.
By Manuela Mazzocco
Here is a perfect party snack, or an amazing way to start a delicious meal. Either way, this step-by-step recipe will show you how easy is to make this exquisite appetizer. Using frozen puff pastry makes the job super easy and fast. Just thaw the pastry sheets, prepare the stuffing in only a few minutes and throw in the oven. 
Every bite is filled with the delicate and sweet flavor of the artichokes, complemented by the scrumptious taste of the pancetta.
And did you know that artichokes are one of the top vegetables with high antioxidant levels? With all the pancetta in this recipe, we might need all the antioxidants we can get to help protects the healthy cells in our body. Great example of a balanced diet.
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Artichokes, Pancetta, and Cheese Cups
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 18 cups 1x
Description
Crisp and cheesy puff pastry cups filled with the perfect combination of delicate artichokes and savory pancetta.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 9 oz (about 1.5 cups) of frozen artichoke hearts (I used the Trader Joe’s frozen )
- 4 oz of pancetta
- 6 oz (about 1.5 cups) of shredded mozzarella cheese
- 4 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese
- 3 tablespoons of whipping cream
- 2 sheets of frozen puff pastry (I used the Pepperidge Farm – 1.1 lb)
- 1 egg
- salt
Instructions
- Thaw the pastry sheets at room temperature for about 30-40 minutes. In the mean time, rinse the artichoke hearts with water for about 1 minute in a colander. Cut them in small slices and sautes’ in a pan with the olive oil for about 5 minutes, over medium heat. Salt to taste.
- Cut the pancetta in strips and add to the pan. Saute’ only for a couple of minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Unfold the pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. Stretch the pastry a little bit, and cut each sheet into 9 squares. Each square should bigger than the muffin mold cup (I used silicone ) as shown in my picture. Push down with your finger in the middle, and keep the sides up. The pastry can stretch a little, but careful not to break it.
- Mix the mozzarella, Parmesan cheese and the heavy cream with the artichokes. Divide the mixture into each cup evenly.
- Close the cups by pulling together the four corners of the pastry square. Seal tightly by pressing the corners together and folding down a little bit, to make sure the cups will not open while baking.
- Beat the egg in a small bowl, and brush it on top each cup. This will give a nice golden color to the puff pastry.
- Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes, until golden on top.
- Serve hot or warm.
- Prep Time: 40 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Category: Appetizer
Yum! These look fabulous. I love ham with artichokes…
Can this be made in advance & frozen?
Thank you Sara!
Good question Kim! I have never tried to freeze these cups. I use frozen puff pastry which makes it really fast to prepare and bake at the last minute.
My best guess though is that the pastry might loose its crispiness if frozen. If I try, I will let you know! Anybody else?!?
Do you put them back in the refrigerator to get cold before you bake them?I always thought puff pastry should be put in the oven ice cold.
Angela