Venison Hand Pastries

1. Make the gremolata by mixing all ingredients together, and set aside.

• Add the rutabaga to a small pot and cover it with cold water. Bring to a boil and cook until tender. Drain and set aside.
• Add olive oil and ground venison in a large pot, brown the meat on high heat, and season with salt and pepper. Remove the meat, add the butter and vegetables(minus the rutabaga), and cook until caramelized and browned on the edges. It takes about three minutes. Deglaze the pan with Worcestershire and sherry vinegar. Add the cream and meat and simmer for five minutes to thicken or until very little liquid is left. Pull from the heat.
• Add the rutabaga and the cheese to the meat mixture. Mix until just combined. Transfer to a container and let it cool in the refrigerator for an hour.
• While the filling is cooling down, pull the puff pastry sheets from the freezer to thaw.
• Once thawed, roll the puff pastry sheets to roughly 12×12 inches and cut them into four equal squares.
• Preheat oven to 375ºF and beat one egg for the egg wash.
• Ball roughly five ounces of filling by hand and place it in the center of a puff pastry square. Brush the edges of the pastry with the egg wash. Fold the edges over one at a time, lightly cinching as you go. Roll the puff bombs in your hand until nice and round. Place the puff bombs seem side down on the parchment paper.
• Brush the puff bombs with the egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
• Bake at 375ºF for 30 to 40 minutes or until golden and crispy.
• Let the puff bombs cool for 10 to 15 minutes and serve with the gremolata.

These puff pastry bombs explode with flavor. The filling is like a ground meat gravy thickened with cheese. Think Shepard's pie but creamier. The provolone adds a mild smokiness, and the gremolata cuts through the dish's richness.
These convenient hand-held pastries are great for gatherings and also freeze well after baking. Simply reheat in the oven for a quick and satisfying meal.