Party food: salmon canapés

Party food: salmon canapés I made these last night just to see if they're good enough to be served at a small party in my flat next Monday. They definitely are. Easy-peasy and very scrumptious. The rye flour makes the pastry cases a bit chewy, which is nicely balanced by the creaminess of the cheese. And the smoked salmon - a good quality organic one - gives a slightly decadent touch to the canapé. Furthermore, the combination of rye, dill and smoked salmon is beautifully reminiscent of home. Exactly what a Nordic girl needs to celebrate another year..

Salmon and cream cheese canapés
(Lõhekorvikesed)
Adapted from Ruokamaailma
Makes 24



Pastry:
150 ml rye flour
150 ml plain wheat flour
100 ml cold water
1 Tbsp olive oil
0.5 tsp salt

Filling:
150 grams full-fat (Philly) cream cheese
100 grams organic cold smoked salmon, cut into 24 tiny slices
black pepper

Garnish:
fresh dill

Mix the flours, salt, olive oil and cold water into a thickish dough. Add some more flour, if the dough is too wet. Knead into a long 'sausage' on a slightly floured table. Cut into 24 small balls, flatten them and use them to line 24 non-stick mini muffin tins.*
Drop a scant teaspoonful of full fat cream cheese into each muffin tin, top with a small piece of smoked salmon.
Season with black pepper.
Bake in the middle of a 250˚C oven for 10-15 minutes, until the pastry cases are cooked and golden at edges. Let them cool slightly on a metal rest.
Garnish with a sprig of dill for the gravadlax effect.

* Perfectionists out there might prefer rolling out the dough thinly and cutting into uniform round disks. Also, if you're using non-stick muffin tins, then oil them slightly first.

Other great canapé recipes to try:
Potato shortcrust cases with haggis and whisky-onion gravy
Potato shortcrust cases with Cheddar cheese, garlicky spinach and olives
Cheesy spinach pies