Got leftover corned beef from St. Patrick’s Day? Here’s a fun twist on the traditional Reuben sandwich, where rye bread is replaced with puff pastry and, instead being grilled, it is baked in the oven.

I make my own Thousand Island dressing (with mayo, ketchup, sweet pickle relish, a bit of vinegar and paprika), but use store bought if you have a favorite brand. If you’d rather have something more savory, replace the sweeter 1000 island dressing with a nice Dijon or spicy mustard.

This reheats nicely in the microwave – just place your slices on a microwavable plate, zap for a minute or so, and you’re good to go.

Ingredients (Serves 4 to 6)

• 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
• ¼ cup Thousand Island dressing or spicy mustard
• ½ lb. cooked corned beef, coarsely chopped
• 1 cup sauerkraut, rinsed and drained well
• 6 slices baby Swiss cheese
• 1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon of water
• Poppy seeds to taste (optional)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375F. Roll out the pastry sheet to form a rectangle – this one is about 16 inches long, but you can make it smaller if you like thicker pastry. Spread dressing over the pastry.

Scatter the corned beef evenly on top of the dressing.

Top the corned beef with the sauerkraut, followed by the cheese, which you can tear to fit evenly over the other ingredients.

Roll up the pastry, starting at the short side, until you have a loaf approximately 6 inches wide. Seal the ends by pressing together the dough so the filling won’t fill out. Brush the loaf with the egg wash, then sprinkle with poppy seeds.

Place the puff pastry Reuben roll on a lightly greased baking sheet or an ungreased stone. Bake for 30 minutes or until the Reuben is nice and brown and the cheese has melted.

Slice the loaf  into desired amount of pieces and refrigerate the leftovers, if there are any!

This is great as an appetizer with extra Thousand Island dressing or spicy mustard on the side. Or serve with a fruit salad, or side of your choice.

Bon appétit!

Eat, drink and be merry!