Pâté de Pâques (Traditional French Easter Dinner)

This traditional Berry region dish is a great first course to your Easter Dinner. It is sausage and egg (with optional vegetables) wrapped in puff pastry (referred to as en croûte). It is served hot or cold as an appetizer and later the leftovers are great with soup and/or salad. Jacques, my father-in-law recommends a red wine from the Loire Valley or a Burgundy.

To make you will need:

1 - 9"x9" (approximate) sheet of puff pastry defrosted (you can easily get this in your supermarket freezer)
12 - 16 oz. uncooked sausage (also easily obtained at supermarket) formed in a roll
2 hard boiled eggs cut in half lengthwise
1 beaten egg
vegetables such as asparagus, artichokes, sliced olives (optional)
1 - 10x13 baking sheet

Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees F
Lay puff pastry sheet flat on ungreased baking sheet
If using vegetables you may put them on the puff pastry sheet at this time
Lay the sausage down on one end of the puff pastry sheet
Lay the halved hard boiled eggs along the top of the sausage flat side down
Bring the other end of the puff pastry sheet over the eggs and sausage to make a roll. Be sure the seam is underneath the roll
Fold the ends in to cover the sausage and eggs. Be sure the ends are underneath the roll
On top of the roll, poke vent holes in the pastry between where the eggs lay
Brush the beaten egg on top

Reduce the oven temperature to 400 degrees
Bake for approximately 30-35 minutes or until brown on top
Allow 10-15 to rest after removing from oven
Cut in slices to serve

Serves about 4-6