Roquefort Napoleon

Ingredients

• ½ pound puff pastry (see note)
• 1 pound ripe Roquefort
• 8 ounces cream cheese
• 4 ounces mascarpone cheese
• 1 ounce port
• 1 very ripe pear
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• ¼ cup creme fraiche
• 1 tablespoon heavy cream
• ⅓ cup walnuts, finely chopped

• Nutritional Information

  • Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

    778 calories; 64 grams fat; 31 grams saturated fat; 20 grams monounsaturated fat; 6 grams polyunsaturated fat; 27 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 5 grams sugars; 23 grams protein; 138 milligrams cholesterol; 1675 milligrams sodium

  Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.
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Twenty or more finger strips or six first-course servings

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Line a 12-by-18-inch baking pan with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry to a thickness of one-eighth inch, approximately the size of the baking sheet. Sprinkle the parchment lightly with water and place the rolled pastry on the sheet. Poke the dough with a fork all over. Bake for 12 minutes or until golden. When baked, remove the pastry with the parchment to a wire rack and allow to cool.
3. Using the paddle of a mixing machine, blend three-quarters of a pound of Roquefort with the cream cheese until smooth. Fold in the mascarpone and port. Set aside. Crumble the remaining Roquefort and set aside.
4. Using a sharp serrated knife, cut the pastry crosswise into six equal strips, each about 2 inches by 10 inches.
5. Peel the pear and slice into one-quarter-inch thin “sheets.”
6. Using a long metal spatula, coat one strip of pastry with a thin layer of the cheese mixture. Place a single layer of pears over the cheese and coat the pears with more cheese mixture. Place another strip on top and coat with the cheese mixture. Sprinkle with crumbled Roquefort and coat with more cheese mixture; cover with a final strip of pastry. Repeat once more with the remaining pastry strips and set aside. (Extra cheese mixture can be used as a spread on crackers.)
7. In a small bowl, whisk the creme fraiche with the heavy cream and set aside. Lightly dust the top surfaces of the pastry with paprika through the mesh of a fine sieve. Dip the tines of a fork into the cream mixture and rapidly drizzle the cream over the top. Sprinkle with the chopped walnuts. Cut into one-inch widths for hors d’oeuvres or into six triangles as a first course or cheese course.

• Use frozen prepared puff pastry, sold at gourmet food shops.