Winners of our 2010 fresh cheese contest

Best Brunch

SAVORY EGG AND RICOTTA SQUARES WITH SHIITAKES AND ARUGULA

Serves: 4

Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes

Created by Jamie Brown-Miller, of Napa, CA

• 2 sheets frozen puff pastry dough, thawed
• 6 large eggs
• 2 tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
• 1½ cups shiitake mushrooms, sliced
• 1 tsp. salt, divided
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup lightly packed arugula
• 1 cup fresh ricotta cheese (from the February 2010 issue of Sunset)
• 4 Roma tomatoes, diced
• 1 tbsp. sriracha (garlic chili paste)
• 1 cup fresh fromage blanc (from the February 2010 issue of Sunset)

1. Preheat oven to 425° degrees. Slice puff pastry sheets into quarters and place 4 on an ungreased baking sheet. Chill all 8 puff pastry squares while you make the filling.

2. Whisk together eggs and 1/2 cup water in a medium bowl. In a large nonstick skillet, melt 1 tbsp. butter over medium-high heat and swirl to coat pan. Add mushrooms, 1/2 tsp. salt, and the pepper; cook, stirring frequently, 5 minutes or until mushroom edges begin to brown. Stir in garlic and arugula and cook until arugula wilts.

3. Add egg mixture and cook 2 to 3 minutes, or until eggs are almost set. Fold in ricotta and let cool 5 minutes.

4. Spoon egg-ricotta mixture into center of each pastry square, dividing evenly. Place a reserved square on top, aligning the edges and pinching together. Poke center of each square with a fork. Bake 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

5. Melt remaining 1 tbsp. butter in a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Add tomatoes and sriracha and cook, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes.

6. Transfer squares to four plates, then top each with 1/4 cup fromage blanc. Spoon tomatoes over fromage blanc, dividing evenly.

More: How to make and cook with fresh cheese