Gabriel Gaté introduces this recipe as being ‘very special’  and that it is.  Paradoxically, it actually looks quite unassuming, like a humble little homemade pastie.  Don’t be deceived.  It is luxuriously decadent, rich and moorish.   Simple, yet stunning flavours wrapped in a buttery, flakey pastry … and who’s complaining?  Not me (I’ve eaten 4 of these today!)

Just before we get the recipe, I just have to note that I have taken Gabriel’s advice and substituted the yabby with fresh Australian prawns.  While yabbies are plentiful in our rivers and creeks, trying to access one commercially proved to be an exercise in futility.  Apparently, the only way to get your hands on a yabby in metropolitan Melbourne is to go and catch one yourself.  Needless to say, my time and dedication did not stretch that far today!  Prawns make a great substitution, however I’d be keen to see how the delicate flavour of the freshwater crayfish (yabby) marries with the earthiness of the truffle at some point in the future when a yabby makes itself available.

Ingredients

1 small carrot
1 piece celery, 10 cm (7 inch) long
2 medium mushrooms
2 tbsp butter
1 shallot, finely chopped
½ tbsp red wine vinegar
salt
freshly ground pepper
8 shelled and cleaned yabbies (or prawns)
4 rounds of rolled puff pastry, about 12 cm (about 4 inches) diameter and 3 mm thick (I just cut a commercial pastry sheet into four squares)
1 egg yolk mixed with 1 tsp water
10 g (⅓ oz) fresh truffle, cut into fine sticks

How to do it

For a refreshing change tonight we are not chopping vegetables … we are julienning them instead! So get out your knives, your chopping board and get to work.  You need to julienne your carrot, celery, mushrooms and the truffle, then finely dice the shallot.  You are aiming for a julienne of about 5cm long and 2mm thick.

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees celsius.

…………………………………………………………….

Heat the butter in a skillet and fry off the shallot for a few minutes or so.  When softened add the red wine vinegar and let it bubble up before adding in the remaining vegetables.  Stir fry these for a minute or so until they soften slightly but retain some crunch.  Season the vegetable mix with salt and pepper before adding in the prawns (or yabby)  and cook through for a minute or two.

……………………………………………………………………………….

Use a sharp knife to cut your defrosted pastry sheet into four squares.  Brush the edges of each square with a little egg yolk.  Onto each square, place a prawn (or two depending on size) and about a tablespoon of the vegetable mix.  Top this with a little of the julienned truffle and fold the pastry over to seal in a triangular shape.

……………………………………………………………………………..

………………………………………………….

Brush the tops of each triangle with the egg yolk mixture and place in the hot oven for 20 minutes or until pastry is golden and cooked through.

………………………………………………………

…………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

Serve and enjoy!