Add puff pastry to your list of freezer staples. Puff pastry is extremely versatile and relatively inexpensive. It's great to have an extra box on hand when you want to whip up some hors d'oeuvres!

1 sheet puff pastry
1/4 cup (4 oz.) Philly cream cheese with chives, softened
1/3 lbs. sliced smoked salmon
2 tsp. fresh dill, chopped
2 tsp. capers, chopped
2 eggs, beaten
parchment paper

Thaw puff pastry according to the instructions on the box. Preheat oven to 400°. Unfold puff pastry. Spread cream cheese over pastry going all the way to the edge. Arrange salmon slices, in one layer over the cream cheese. Sprinkle dill and capers evenly over salmon.

With the long edge of the dough facing you, roll the top and bottom edges toward each other until the meet in the middle. Roll as tightly as possible, working quickly. Wrap in parchment paper and refrigerated for 5 minutes.

Using a serrated knife, slice the roll into 16-18 even pieces. Arrange pieces on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush with beaten egg.

Bake for 15 minutes. Rotate pan and cook another 10 minutes or until pastry is golden brown. Serve immediately.

Tips

There are two methods for thawing puff pastry. Thawing overnight in the refrigerator is preferable.

You can also thaw it at room temperature for an hour. Beware: if the pastry is thawed in an environment that is warmer than room temperature or if left out for more than an hour, it can become sticky and hard to handle. If this happens use a rolling pin or your fingers to spread the puff pastry out. It will not look as pretty, but it will still taste delicious.

If you have no parchment paper, use a paper bag to line the cookie sheet instead.