Recipe - Ham Pirakka

FLAKY EGG PASTRY
1 2/3 cup Allpurpose flour
One fourth teaspoon Salt
One half cup Chilled butter, cut into
Small pieces
One half cup Sour cream
1 Egg
1 tablespoon Fresh lemon juice

MUSHROOM PATE
One fourth cup Butter
Three fourths pound Mushrooms, chopped
One half cup Minced onion
8 ounce Cream cheese, at room
Temperature
Salt and pepper
1 cup Finely chopped walnuts
2 tablespoon Brandy,optional

HAM FILLING
3 cup Ground ham,about 1 One half lbs.
One half cup Coarse breadcrumbs
One half cup Chopped fresh chives OR
One half cup Sliced green onion tops
One fourth cup Minced fresh parsley
2 Eggs, beaten to blend
1 Egg, beaten with:
2 tablespoon Milk (glaze)
Sour cream, optional

Combine flour and salt in large bowl.Cut in butter until mixture resembles
coarse meal.Beat sour cream,egg and lemon juice to blend. Stir into flour
with fork until stiff dough forms.Gather into ball. Wrap in plastic and
refrigerate 30 minutes. Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium
heat.Add mushrooms and onion and cook until all liquid evaporates,stirring
occasionally about 15 minutes;cool.Blend in cream cheese.Add salt and
pepper.Stir in walnuts and brandy,optional. For ham filling,combine all
ingredients in medium bowl.Preheat oven to 400 degrees.Line baking sheet
with parchment paper.Divide dough in half.Wrap one portion in plastic and
refrigerate to keep from drying. Roll remaining portion out on lightly
floured surface into a 6 x 12" rectangle.Set on prepared sheet.Layer with
half of mushroom pate and half of ham filling,remaining pate and remaining
ham,leaving a 1" border on all sides. Press filling into rounded log
shape.Bring dough edges up sides of filling to make a small edge.Roll
remaining dough out into a rectangle slightly larger than the first.Make
several One half x 4" crosswise slashes in dough.Brush with egg glaze and crimp
to seal.Bake until golden, about 30 minutes.Serve hot,warm or chilled.Pass
sour cream,separately, if desired.Makes 6 to 8 servings.

From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini