My dad passed away 20 years ago, yesterday. There used to be a Cuban sandwich shop here that made the most scrumptious guava and cream cheese pastries. I would buy them for him on occasion and he LOVED them. I wish I had made this for him.
Start with a decadent puff pastry. I used a pizza cutter and cut a 12 x 3 sheet. Then cut strips to add to all four sides to create a border. I added two layers of strips to keep all the deliciousness inside!
I brushed each layer with an egg white wash (one egg white mixed with a teaspoon of water), hoping they would stick together and make the pastry shiny. Whew, it worked!
For the filling, I melted 3/4 cup of guava paste in a 1/4 cup of water over a low medium heat. Once it melted into a sauce consistency, I spread it over the bottom of the pastry. Yes, I cheated and tasted it, a couple of times. OMG so good.
Next, add the creamy goat cheese. I used regular goat cheese but feel free to use one flavored with honey or herbs! I think that would be amazing too! Do what makes you happy!
As lovely as this appears, I kicked it up a notch and sprinkled fresh Rosemary over the filling AND the crust. Can you ever have too much Rosemary? Well, maybe, but this was the right amount for this pastry.
Okay into the oven at 350 degrees until the crust is golden and PUFFED, which was about 25 minutes.
The buttery pastry, the sweet guava, the creamy goat cheese, and the fresh Rosemary is a symphony of taste. Dad would have loved every bite. Wish he were here…
Did I mention I am now creating my own Limoncello? A Lemon Drop Martini is the perfect pairing with this Guava pastry. And the 92 degree heat! Happy Easter everyone.
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