Vol-au-vents were one of the many baking expiriments that I recall from my childhood. Of course I did not know what vol-au-vents were at 10 year old, but I did remember the fillings that my mother used for most of her pastries. Usually chicken and potato leftover from her curry puffs, and sometimes sardines in a can which required no cooking. Then when tuna hit the market in ready-to-eat packs that became her glamorous choice, spiced with a bit of chili for the adults. Those days shop-bought pastry was impossible to find in the supermarket, and my mom was all keen anyway to show off her pastry prowess.
It’s only when I have leisure time at hand that I do laminated dough from scratch. When it comes to vol-au-vents, shape does matter. Use fluted cookie cutter if you have one, cut 2 circles and cut out a round hole from one of the circle. So you will have the base and a doughnut top, stack them together and bake at high degree ( 200 C) et voila, you get puffed up cases! Vol-au-vents literally means ‘flight int he wind’ and I am assuming that it’s due to its puffy look that it was called that.
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Chili Tuna Vol-au-Vent
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: Serves 6
- Diet: Pescatarian, Omnivore
Description
Flaky puff pastry cups filled with a spicy tuna mixture.
Perfect for parties or a light lunch.
Ingredients
- 1 pack (250 g) frozen puff pastry dough
- 1 can tuna in brine
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1 small red onion, diced finely
- 1 small stalk parsley, chopped finely
- 2 tbsp tomato ketchup
- a dash of black pepper
- a pinch of salt
- 1 egg mixed with 2 tbsp water for egg wash
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 392°F (200°C).
- Thaw frozen pastry on kitchen counter until malleable.
- Roll pastry to 1/2 inch thickness and cut out circles.
- Pair 2 circles; punch out a smaller hole in one, then stack on top of the base.
- Brush with egg wash and bake for 18-20 minutes until golden.
- Prepare the filling.
- In a bowl, combine tuna, chili powder, onion, parsley, tomato ketchup, black pepper, and salt.
- Once vol-au-vents are ready, fill with tuna and serve warm.
Notes
- To prevent soggy vol-au-vents, bake the pastry shells for 5 minutes before adding the filling.
- For a spicier chili tuna mixture, add a pinch of cayenne pepper or a few drops of your favorite hot sauce.
- Leftover chili tuna filling can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 vol-au-vent
- Calories: 200
- Sugar: 5
- Sodium: 300
- Fat: 12
- Saturated Fat: 4
- Unsaturated Fat: 6
- Carbohydrates: 15
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 10
- Cholesterol: 50
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a vol-au-vent and how do you make the pastry shells?
A vol-au-vent is a hollow puff pastry case that holds a savory filling. You can buy frozen puff pastry shells or cut rounds from puff pastry sheets, scoring an inner circle that puffs up and gets removed to create the cavity.
How spicy is the chili tuna filling?
The heat depends on the type and amount of chili you use. Fresh red chili or chili flakes give a moderate kick that complements the tuna without overpowering it. Start with a small amount and adjust to taste.
Can I use fresh tuna instead of canned for vol-au-vents?
Fresh tuna works if you sear it and flake it into chunks. Canned tuna is more traditional for this style of appetizer and requires less preparation, making it a practical choice for party food.
