Homemade Hot Pockets

So I saw this on Joshua Weissman's YouTube and I wanted to try it. 

Now, the thing is that he uses guanciale (gwan-chee-allee), and that requires an Italian store. I tried a few different places for it, and I was almost sure I was going to have to order it from a deli in the Bronx. On a whim, I decided to try a small Italian deli in Whitehall, PA called Stravino's. 

Y'all, a kid in a candy shop. All authentic Italian products, good American substitute, and unique pastas. Cheese to die for, and Ta-da! Guanciale! Not cheap, didn't expect it to be. 

If you're not lucky, you can order online from Amazon, but I'd actually order from DiBruno Brothers in Philly or from Vincenzo's meats in the Bronx. You need just a 1/4lb, so don't balk at the price per pound. 

If neither of those options work, I'd probably go with a belly cut... just look for really fatty original bacon. (Not hardwood or Applewood smoked, plain.) Don't use salt pork, that's gonna mess with the flavor.

I used Peppridge Farm Puff Pastry, but if you can find something a little more upscale, go for it. 

And allow time for the sauce! That was my downfall-- I started late for sauce. 

Ingredients

- 1/4 lb guanciale/fatty bacon, diced

- 6 oz tomato paste

- 3 to 5 cloves of garlic, sliced thin

- 1 to 2 tsp of sugar

- 1 tbls italian blend herbs

- salt to taste

- olive oil

- shredded mozzarella (about 8 oz)

- shredded gran padano or Parmigiano (4 oz)

- pepperoni (diced or mini rounds)

- 1 pgk puff pastry

- egg wash (1 egg and 1 tbls cream)

- 1/3rd cup butter 

Directions

Sauce

- add a tsp of olive oil to a skillet and heat. Add diced guanciale and cook until rendered and browned, stir often

- add garlic and toast for about 2 to 3 minutes, stir constantly

- add tomato paste and 1 6oz can of water, stir to combine

- add sugar, salt and herbs, mix to combine. Set to low, cover, and let cook for about half an hour, stirring occasionally. Taste occasionally and adjust herbs, sugar and salt. 

Assembly

- Preheat over to suggest temp on pastry box. (Mine was 400°) 

- unfold pastry and using a rolling pin, stretch the pastry out, as much as you feel comfortable. (I wound up with six.)

- using a pizza cutter, divide evenly into about 3 by 5 squares

- brush edges with egg wash, then start layering: 

Sauce - cheese - pepperoni - sauce - cheese

Weissman says to brush the other half with the wash, but I found those difficult to seal well. Your call. 

- Seal WELL. Otherwise its all over the place. I used a fork, he used a pasta cutter. Whatever works.

- place on a line baking tray, brush with egg wash, poke some small holes in the top so they don't explode, and place in the over for 15 to 20 minutes. 

- Brush with melted butter once you remove them from the oven. 

Enjoy, but be warned, they are called Hot Pockets for a reason!