Dec 05, 2008
I first made these in 2003 and they've been a staple for my appetizer parties ever since. I use a combination of sweet and hot sausage, which, because it can be hard to break up during cooking, after draining I put in the food processor for a couple pulses. That way it has nice, even texture. I also use a combination of pineapple salsa and sweet hot pepper & onion relish, both of which gave it a hint of sweetness and zing. Between the hot sausage and the relish, it has a real bite. The sour cream cuts that, though. I always use a pastry bag to apply the sour cream; makes it neat, quick and easy. A make-ahead tip is to pre-bake the wonton skins, using a small wooden pastry dowel to press them GENTLY into the tin, sprayed with Pam. Spray the skins lightly prior to baking, and watch them in the oven; they can burn quickly. I then use a small scoop to fill the cups with the sausage mixture that I warmed up separately. This way you can make both days ahead (store the cooled cups in a resealable bag), then assemble just prior to plating. The thing I love about these is the texture...crunchy (from skins above the muffin rim) and chewy (part encasing the sausage).
—Robin Seidel
