Mixiote de Pera con Hojaldre de Queso
My dear friend Roberto Santibañez and I have had a lot of fun over the years since we began working together at Rosa Mexicano, cooking together and creating dishes inspired by our land that we so often miss living in New York. This is one of the desserts that we still talk about. The name for this dish comes from mixiote, which is the thin film from the maguey leaf that was traditionally used to wrap savory dishes that are baked or steamed, releasing the leaf’s wonderful herbal sweetness. Nowadays, most mixiotes actually use parchment paper or banana leaves, alluding to the way the dish is prepared rather than the original definition. In this version, the pears are cooked slowly in a sweet piloncillo syrup inside these little pouches, and are then served warm over a slightly salty cheese filling. When the pouch is cut open, it releases the amazing syrup fragrance that balances perfectly with the flaky, buttery cheese pastry.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 8
Ingredients
Cheese Pastry
Roasted Pears
Preparation
Step 1
TO MAKE THE CHEESE PASTRY, drain the requesón in a cheeseclothlined bowl. Combine the drained cheese, 1/4 cup of the sugar, the salt, crema, and egg in a bowl and blend with a spoon or whisk. Stir in the Manchego cheese (this mixture can be made 2 days ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator).
Step 2
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll out the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle about 1/4 inch thick. Using a cookie cutter or large glass, cut out twelve 5-inch-diameter circles and place on the prepared baking sheets. Gather the scraps together by placing them on top of each other, overlapping a bit to stick them together (don’t form into a ball!). Roll lightly into a rectangle about 1/4 inch thick and cut out 4 more circles.
Step 3
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Step 4
Put about 2 tablespoons of the cheese filling in the center of 8 of the circles, leaving some room around the edges. Lightly whisk the egg yolks with a fork and lightly brush the edges of the circles. Place the other circles on top and press tightly along the edges to seal. Refrigerate for 10 to 15 minutes, until firm. Lightly whisk the milk into the rest of the yolks and brush the tops of the pastries. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and bake until the tops and bottoms are golden, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool. (The cheese pastries can be made and refrigerated up to 3 days in advance.) Leave the oven on at the same temperature for the pears.
Step 5
TO MAKE THE ROASTED PEARS, combine the piloncillo, cider, and canela in a medium-large pot. Scrape the vanilla bean with the tip of a knife and add it with the pod to the pot. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until dissolved. Whisk in the butter and salt, remove from the heat, and let cool slightly. Discard the canela and the vanilla pod. Peel, core, and cut the pears into 1/2-inch wedges and add to the mixture.
Step 6
Cut the banana leaves or parchment paper into eight 6-inch squares, put about 1/2 cup of the pear mixture in the center of each one, bring the edges together, and twist the top. Tear a thin strip of banana leaf and use it to tie the top closed (if you’re using parchment, tie the top with butcher’s twine). Place the packets on a baking sheet and bake for 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes.
Step 7
Place one packet of pears on top of each cheese pastry and cut the packet with scissors at the table so the pastry doesn’t get soggy and the wonderful aroma is released. Plus, you’ll have that wow factor that will impress all.
