Vietnamese Meat Pies “Pâté Chaud Recipe
Vietnamese Meat Pies, known as Pâté Chaud, are savory puff pastry parcels filled with a flavorful mixture of minced pork, wood ear mushrooms, vermicelli noodles, and fresh herbs. These delicious hand pies are baked until golden and crispy, offering a perfect snack or appetizer that combines flaky pastry with a juicy, aromatic filling.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 16 servings
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Vietnamese
Ingredients
Mushrooms and Noodles
- 50 g dried shredded wood ear mushrooms
- 50 g dried vermicelli bean thread noodles
Meat Filling
- 500 g minced pork (ground pork)
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon white pepper (freshly cracked)
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1-2 sprigs coriander (cilantro)
- 1-2 sprigs spring onions (scallions)
- 1 large carrot (roughly chopped)
Assembly
- Frozen puff pastry sheets
- 1 egg (lightly beaten)
- Sesame seeds (for sprinkling, optional)
Instructions
- Prepare dried mushrooms and noodles: Soak the dried wood ear mushrooms and dried vermicelli noodles in separate large bowls filled with boiling water. Leave them for 10 minutes until fully hydrated and softened. Then rinse under cold water, drain thoroughly, and pat dry between kitchen paper. Cut the mushrooms and noodles into short lengths with scissors.
- Make the meat filling: In a large mixing bowl, combine the minced pork, sugar, sea salt, white pepper, and fish sauce. Mix thoroughly using your hands for even seasoning. Place coriander, spring onions, and carrot into a food processor and blitz until finely chopped; alternatively, chop finely by hand. Add chopped herbs, carrot, mushrooms, and noodles into the pork mixture and mix well.
- Preheat oven and prepare baking tray: Set your oven to 200°C (390°F) without fan. Line a baking tray with baking paper to prevent sticking.
- Cut puff pastry rounds: Use a large round cookie cutter or any round object like a small bowl or teacup to cut rounds from the frozen puff pastry sheets, adjusting size to preference.
- Assemble the pies: Roll a portion of the meat filling into a small meatball and place it in the center of a pastry round, flattening slightly while leaving a 1.5 cm (1/2 inch) border around the edges. Brush the border with beaten egg to act as glue. Place a second pastry round on top, press and seal the edges firmly with a fork to enclose the filling completely.
- Prepare pies for baking: Arrange the sealed pies on the lined baking tray. Use a small knife to cut a slit on top of each pie to allow steam to escape during baking. Brush each pie with beaten egg and sprinkle sesame seeds on top if desired.
- Bake the pies: Place the tray in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes or until the puff pastry is golden brown and cooked through. Baking time may vary depending on the size of the pies.
- Serve: Enjoy the Pâté Chaud hot or warm for the best flavor and texture.
Notes
- If you don’t have a food processor, finely chopping the herbs and carrot by hand works well.
- The size of the pies can be adjusted according to your preference; just note that baking time may change slightly.
- Ensure to seal the edges properly to prevent filling leakage during baking.
- Optional sesame seeds add a pleasant crunch and visual appeal but can be omitted.
- Use fresh ingredients and avoid over-soaking mushrooms and noodles to maintain texture.
