A ''vol-au-vent'' (pronounced , French for "windblown", to describe its lightness) is a small hollow case of
puff pastry. It was formerly also called a patty case.
[ .]
A ''vol-au-vent'' is typically made by cutting two circles in rolled out puff pastry, cutting a hole in one of them, then stacking the ring-shaped piece on top of the disc-shaped piece.
The pastry is cooked, then filled with any of a variety of savory or sweet fillings.
The pastry is sometimes credited to
Marie-Antoine Carême. However, an
entremet called ''petits gâteaux vole au vent'' is mentioned in
François Marin
François () is a French masculine given name and surname, equivalent to the English name Francis.
People with the given name
* Francis I of France, King of France (), known as "the Father and Restorer of Letters"
* Francis II of France, King o ...
's 1739 cookbook ''Les Dons de Comus'', years before Carême's birth.
[ .]
In
France, it is usually served as an
appetizer or a small snack, filled with chicken or fish.
International similarities
In
Belgium, it is a common main dish that can be found on the menus of most restaurants, and is nearly always filled with a combination of chicken, mushrooms, and small meatballs, served with either mashed potatoes or fries. This Belgian variation is also available in the south of the
Netherlands, where it is called ''pasteitje'' ("little pastry"). In
American cuisine,
chicken à la King
Chicken à la King ('chicken in the style of King') is a dish consisting of diced chicken in a cream sauce, often with sherry, mushrooms, and vegetables, generally served over rice, noodles, or bread.D'Amato, Luisa (October 17, 2007)Delicious, e ...
was formerly a popular filling.
In
Pakistan, vol-au-vents with meat filling are called "patties": round ones usually have a chicken filling, and rectangular ones have a beef filling. They are served with
chutney.
See also
*
Amuse-bouche
An ''amuse-bouche'' (; ) or ''amuse-gueule'' (, ; ) is a single, bite-sized'' hors d'œuvre''. Amuse-bouches are different from appetizers in that they are not ordered from a menu by patrons but are served free and according to the chef's selec ...
*
Brännvinsbord
*
Canapé
*
Hors d'œuvre
An hors d'oeuvre ( ; french: hors-d'œuvre ), appetiser or starter is a small dish served before a meal in European cuisine. Some hors d'oeuvres are served cold, others hot. Hors d'oeuvres may be served at the dinner table as a part of the m ...
*
List of hors d'oeuvre
*
List of pastries
*
Tapas
*
Zakuski
References
Appetizers
French pastries
Puff pastry
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