Stuffed Puff Pastry Carrots

Name: Stuffed Puff Pastry Carrots
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: Puff pastry 1 roll; Eggs 1; Food coloring red and yellow to taste; Parsley 1 tuft; Butter ¾ tbsp; Cream cheese ½ cup; Tuna in oil 2.8 oz; Capers in vinegar 1 tsp; Parsley 1 tuft; Fine salt to taste; Black pepper to taste

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Difficulty: Average
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 10 min
Makes: 8 pieces
Cost: Low

PRESENTATION

These puff pastry carrots are seriously good, and they're a surefire way to grab attention at any Italian gathering. Whether it’s a festive Easter party or just a casual aperitivo, these snacks are a hit. I mean, the magic starts with some ready-made puff pastry. And look, you add just a couple of drops of food coloring to get that pop of orange. They end up looking like cute, crisp little carrots. Italians—who love getting creative with food presentation—often wrap these pastries around metal cones. They bake to a golden and flaky perfection. Once cooled, you can fill them with anything from herbed cream cheese, to tuna salad, or even prosciutto mixed into a creamy spread. A sprinkle of parsley or dill? Yeah, it not only enhances the visual appeal but also adds a fresh, herby scent that’s hard to resist. Seriously, each bite is amazing.

For an Easter appetizer or any buffet, these stuffed puff pastry carrots are ideal because they are easy to grab. Plus, they're super customizable. In Italy, people love experimenting with fillings—some go for tangy insalata russa, others prefer a mild cheese mix, and some even add bits of ham or olives for a salty kick. This results in a moist and savory bite that melts in your mouth. Thing is, the light, flaky dough really makes it. Using puff pastry for these bite-sized finger foods is a cherished tradition in Italian kitchens, especially in the north. Here, there's a passion for making snacks that look as good as they taste. You put these puff pastry carrot recipe treats out on a big platter—wow, their crisp edges and colorful appearance make them an instant crowd-pleaser. They're simple, fun, and always spark conversation. I gotta say, they provide a refreshing break from the usual snacks, letting you explore a bit of creativity with the fillings. Whether you are hosting a family gathering or a casual get-together, these carrots are sure to be a hit, bringing a touch of Italian flair to your table.

INGREDIENTS

Ingredients for 8 stuffed carrots: Puff pastry 1 roll; Eggs 1; Food coloring to taste - red and yellow; Parsley 1 tuft; Butter ¾ tbsp (10 g)

for the filling: Cream cheese ½ cup (100 g); Tuna in oil 2.8 oz (80 g); Capers in vinegar 1 tsp; Parsley 1 tuft; Fine salt to taste; Black pepper to taste

Preparation

How to prepare Stuffed Puff Pastry Carrots

To prepare the puff pastry carrots, start by rolling out the sheet of puff pastry and using a pastry cutter to cut strips about 1.2 inches wide. Brush the surface of the puff pastry strips with beaten egg 3 and roll them lengthwise 3.

Take 8 aluminum cones (the ones used for cannoli) and lightly butter them. Starting from the tip, wrap the puff pastry strips around the aluminum cone 4, making sure to overlap the dough slightly with each turn; place the cones on a sheet of parchment paper.
In a small bowl, pour a ladle of lukewarm water, add a few drops of yellow food coloring, and a pinch of red food coloring to obtain a bright orange color. Brush the entire surface of the puff pastry cones with the orange color 5, then bake at 392°F (static oven) for 10 minutes 6.

Remove the orange cones from the oven and, once they have cooled, gently remove them from the aluminum cone 7, being very careful not to break them.
Prepare the filling for the puff pastry carrots: in a mixer, place the drained tuna, cream cheese, capers 8, chopped parsley 9, salt, and pepper

and blend everything into a creamy mixture 10. We made a tuna filling, but you can, of course, get creative with ingredients you like best (olives, ham, etc.).
Fill the orange cones with the tuna filling 11 (using a piping bag if possible). Finish with a sprig of parsley to mimic the carrot leaves 12!

Storage

We recommend consuming the stuffed puff pastry carrots as soon as they are ready to prevent the loss of the puff pastry's flakiness.

How to make puff pastry

Leggi la scheda completa: How to make puff pastry

Tip

When I created this recipe, I was in a summer mood, so I proposed the tuna filling I created at that time, but feel free to get creative with ingredients you like! For example, I would like to try mini carrots with olives, aromatic herbs, ham, and anchovies.

For the translation of some texts, artificial intelligence tools may have been used.