I wrote a little bit about the history of pâté chaud and it’s French origins on my Instagram, and how the meaning of the French words, ‘pâté’ and ‘chaud’, have evolved over time. Unfortunately Instagram limits the amount of characters per caption/post, so on that platform, I am not able to go into full detail about anything really. Recipes have to be condensed. Directions are less detailed. One isn’t able to fully see how much goes into a dish. This is another reason why I chose to post my cooking adventures on my website. So here I am with my first recipe post—a simple and delicious recipe for pâté chaud that I put together myself. Not gonna lie, I think I shot a hole-in-one for this one. And on the very first try!
I wanted to talk a little bit about the effects of French colonialism on Vietnamese cooking (without going deep into the politics or ethics of colonialism in general). Ask any Vietnamese parent or grandparent about how they feel about the French or French colonialism, and one answer may vary from one person to the next. Some may think positively, some may think negatively, some may be personally traumatized, and some don’t think much about it at all. It’s really all about exposure and personal experience. But despite the political impact of imperialism on the country, I think we can all agree that the marriage of Vietnamese food with elements of French fare and influence, makes for the most beautiful blend of cuisine. It’s like seeing the silver lining in a negative situation. Some of the major ingredients that the French brought to Vietnam: onions, shallots, artichokes, potatoes, asparagus, coffee, baguettes. They also influenced the creation of phở, flan, and pâté chaud, among many other dishes. So although Vietnamese cuisine was influenced by many of its neighboring countries (mainly China), the incorporation of French influence makes it something truly special.
So, pâté chaud. They are essentially, meat pies. You can use your meat of choice, but I prefer ground pork as my base. Growing up, my mom would make pâté chaud for parties or snacking on the beach. I remember distinctly how they looked and tasted. She used Pepperidge Farm Puff pastry shells, which would come pre-made with a little ‘cap’ on top. They were tasty homemade versions that I’ll always look back on fondly as a part of my childhood. As I got older, we’d buy our pâté chaud pies from local Vietnamese bakeries, which were made a little bit differently. Honestly I’ve never had a pâté chaud I didn’t like. But some are definitely better than others. Lets talk ingredients. I’ve read that a butter based pastry sheet is better than a vegetable oil based one. And after making these, I will absolutely concur with that. With the butter based sheets, you’ll get a more delectably flavorful pie. Dufour Classic Puff Pastry. Oh-so-buttery, flakey, and melt-in-your-mouth goodness. For the meat mixture, I purchased an organic high quality package of ground pork (you can also ground your own pork using pork belly and pork shoulder). I also added in some creamy chicken liver mousse and classic pâté (which is thicker and chunkier), adding depth and texture to the mixture. I kept the recipe simple because I’m always trying to achieve the perfect balance without overwhelming the palate. If you have any questions regarding this recipe, feel free to fill out the contact form.
PÂTÉ CHAUD RECIPE
YOU’LL NEED
2 ¾” diameter cookie/pastry cutter (mini pies) OR 3 ¼” diameter cookie/pastry cutter (small pies); these measurements reflect the approximate quantity shown;
feel free to use whatever you have in your kitchen, though keep in mind that quantities may change.
Flour
A baking sheet
Parchment paper to line your baking sheet (if no parchment paper, grease your pan)
A fork for sealing
INGREDIENTS (mixture makes roughly 24 mini pies or 12 small pies)
1 egg yolk mixed with 1 TBS water, whisked well
Dufour Pastry Kitchens: Classic puff pastry (1 box=8 mini pies or 4 small pies, buy number of boxes according to how many you want to make)
1 pound of ground pork (alternatively, you can use ground dark meat chicken as sub)
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 stalks of green onion (light green to white part of stalks), finely chopped
¼ cup of classic chicken paté
¼ cup of high quality creamy chicken liver mousse
¼ cup of rehydrated dried wood ear mushroom, chopped
1 TSP freshly ground pepper
1 TBS fish sauce
½ TSP salt
1 TSP sugar
2 TSP chicken stock powder
DIRECTIONS
Defrost the dough package for 3 hours, and use immediately after
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
1. In a large mixing bowl, mix all of the above ingredients very thoroughly with your hands. Set aside.
2. Gently unfold the pastry and place on a floured work surface (per box instructions). Remove parchment papers and
dust both sides lightly with flour.
3. Using your desired size cookie/pastry cutter, cut your rounds and set to the side.
4. Once you’ve completed cutting out all your pastry rounds, begin with one layer.
5. Roll a single meatball with your hands, and place in the center of the round. Pat the meatball down a little bit to slightly flatten it. Make sure to leave about ½”
space around your meatball for sealing.
6. Dip your finger in the egg wash mix and paint some of the egg wash on the ½” pastry border.
7. Take another single piece of pastry round and place directly on top to assemble your meat pie. Use a fork to press down around the entire edge of the pastry
rounds, sealing the both layers into a single pie. Place on your prepared baking sheet and repeat until all your pastry rounds are used.
8. Bake for 22-25 minutes, until the pie has risen and is light golden brown on top.
9. Remove from the oven and allow the pies to cool.
10. Once cooled, you can paint a light layer of melted butter wash over the top of the pies for an extra buttery result.
NOTE: You can freeze any remaining meat mixture for future use.