Friday, April 15, 2022

Pâté de Pâques

Easter pâté is somewhat of a local tradition in central France. I didn't do much research to get the details, but it seems the origin of the dish is not really known. It's basically a pâté en croûte (pâté baked inside a flaky pastry) with whole hard-cooked eggs inside. This version is from a bakery in Saint-Aignan. I think it's unusual in that it's a single serving, and round. Most of what I see is the pastry formed into a long bar with six or more eggs lined up inside, then sliced to serve.

A single-serving pâté de pâques with a pleasing design cut into the pastry.

Ken and I shared this one as an appetizer before yesterday's lunch. I brought two home from the bakery, so we'll have another one today. The pastry itself is excellent, light and flaky. The pâté inside is basic, nothing fancy or highly flavored. And the egg is, well, an egg.

The cross section. Each half makes a good appetizer. A whole one, with a salad along side, would make a good meal.

These pastries show up in the bakeries and delis just before Easter, are available for another week or so after the holiday, then they disappear until next year.

10 comments:

  1. This looks like an elegant take on a Scotch egg.

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  2. I have never heard of this pastry, but it looks very good and very tasty. I’d love one for lunch!

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  3. You should try making them,

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  4. They look like Frog Eyes. :-)

    Sassybear
    https://idleeyesandadormy.com/

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  5. I had never heard of that Easter delight, until your blog (I think you or Ken posted about it another year, but I had already forgotten about it). I'd be curious to taste it.

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  6. mitch, I'd like to try a scotch egg some time. Have you had one?

    chm, it's local to the Berry, Touraine, and Poitou, I read.

    travel, that's not a bad idea...

    sean, LOL! They do!

    judy, it tastes just like you'd expect, especially if the pastry is good.

    bettyann, it was! We've shared three so far.

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    1. I’ve never had one. I don’t know why, but they’ve never looked very appealing, which is odd given how appealing the pâté de pâques looks.

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  7. yes yes yes just what I would order

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