Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Cheesy Puff Pastry Pinwheels with Power Greens



I can't believe it's already August and two weeks from my last post!  We have gone from a cool, rainy spring and early summer, and are still stuck in a cooler-than-normal weather pattern here in the Midwest, but we are trying to enjoy as many mid to late summer activities as we can possibly can with friends and family. 

These tasty little morsels were created just after making the roasted tomato tarts from my last post.  I had a good sized portion of puff pastry dough left and hated to throw it away so I looked on the puff pastry box for inspiration and saw a recipe for spinach pinwheels using thawed, frozen spinach.  I didn't have frozen spinach but what I did have in the frig was several ounces of organic power greens that were going to be thrown out if I didn't use them quickly.  I also had some mozzarella and shredded Parmesan in the freezer.  A sprinkle of dried red bell pepper flakes, hot red pepper flakes, and a sprinkle of ground pepper.  Ready, set, roll!

I didn't measure anything but I think I used about...

1/2 sheet of thawed frozen puff pastry, rolled on a floured surface into a rectangle
2 cups of bagged or boxed organic salad greens (kale, spinach, baby chard)
2 teaspoons of dried red bell pepper flakes (love that stuff)
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of hot red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Pinch of salt - optional as the cheeses are salty
1/2 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup of shredded Parmesan cheese

1 egg, whisked with a teaspoon of water to seal the puff pastry and egg wash for the pinwheels

I layered everything on my puff pastry, rolled it up tightly, lengthwise - brushing the last 1 inch edge of puff pastry with the egg wash to seal it together.  Then, I cut it the roll into approximately 1-1/2 inch slices and placed them on a silicon-mat-lined baking sheet and brushed each slice with additional egg wash.

375 oven - 15/20 minutes or until golden and voila!


If you're looking for quick, easy and delicious appetizer for your busy summer, give this a try.  They are delicious! Be daring and adapt them to whatever you have on hand :)


68 comments:

  1. Very nice Susan they sound absolutely wonderful and look very delicious, I just love pastry that is light and puffy and has cheeses, spinach, in it “Yummy”

    ReplyDelete
  2. I might be able to eat spinach this way!

    ReplyDelete
  3. They look like a perfect treat to have on hand for lunch or when guests pop in. I've seen the recipe but never tried it.

    Best,
    Bonnie

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This one is slightly different - just made them from what a had on hand.

      Delete
  4. Amazing colour and flavours! I probably would end up eating whole batch myself.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I love these look absolutely beautiful Susan:)

    ReplyDelete
  6. They look beautiful and delicious!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Very cleverly use for the remainders. I would love this and they look great.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I love this recipe and can't imagine how tasty they were - they look crispy, and melty and full of flavor - yum! Where has the summer gone?

    ReplyDelete
  9. they look tasty and delicious ! A warm hug

    ReplyDelete
  10. My kind of appy! They look great and I know they taste wonderful:@)

    ReplyDelete
  11. I have Augustitis.
    I don't want it.
    :(

    On a different note..
    I do want these..:)
    Puff pastry....you can literally put almost anything between it's folds and I am in love.
    Why did June have to turn into July..to lead into August?....
    Not ready..not me..not even close.

    ReplyDelete
  12. I like things like this and they look delicious.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Oh what a lovely idea - and I even have puff pastry and mozzarella in the fridge!i'll be making these in the next few days.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Three cheers for puff pastry and a thousand cheers for this delicious treat.

    ReplyDelete
  15. We were having that cooler weather too and I have to say I enjoyed it. I am not a fan of hot, humid weather which has returned this week. Can't believe it's August, where does the time go? These look delicious. I never make anything with puff pastry, I should give it a try.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I do enjoy it cooler rather than hot and humid also, Julie. I think you would enjoy these!

      Delete
  16. Susan, these delicious 'morsels' cover almost all the basic food groups :) And who wouldn't be satisfied with that?

    Btw, It looks like summer bailed out on us here in the Midwest, not that I'm complaining about the fall like weather.
    Enjoy the rest of the fleeting summer!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Your right, they do -:-) perfect for a light dinner as well as an appetizer.

      Delete
  17. It is a weird summer here in Greece too! I love these swirls and especially the fact that they do not need a precise recipe!

    ReplyDelete
  18. These are so so pretty and must taste divine. I've never seen red bell pepper flakes - must look into that immediately.
    Sam

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I love using them in salad dressings too, Sam. I recently discovered them myself when I was trying to recreate a store-bought dressing. I bought mine at Penzeys.

      Delete
  19. Hi Susan, very impressive, these would be perfect for entertaining, or really anytime. Love the addition of the red pepper flakes. Regarding August, I can't believe it either, my husband and I were just talking about the same thing yesterday.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You are right - they are perfect anytime. I've since made them for a light dinner.

      Delete
  20. These look scrumptious and anything with puff pastry is sooo good. I've done similar things but never with fresh spinach. Can't wait to give them a try! Here it feels like an early fall is coming and I am so not ready!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I was surprised at how well the fresh greens worked in this. They didn't get soggy at all.

      Here's to a sloooooow and beautiful August and September :)

      Delete
  21. These pinwheels look fabulous Susan...and yes, I love the power green in it! YUM!
    Hope you are having a great week :D

    ReplyDelete
  22. I have a strong desire to make these for dinner and just eat ALL OF THEM. Greens and cheese sound good to me.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Oh Yum, looks really, really good!
    These are so perfect for anytime of the day!
    I like all the ingredients that you've used. These would be gone in no time at all in my house!

    ReplyDelete
  24. This looks like a wonderful appetizer, Susan! I'm pinning it now ;) I agree--summer is passing too quickly! My oldest grandson begins kindergarten next week!

    ReplyDelete
  25. They look really tasty, Susan! They would be perfect for a party we're having soon. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  26. Wow, damn delicious!!!
    the photograph is truely seducing me.....
    almost licking my laptop monitor!!!

    ReplyDelete
  27. What a beautiful puff pastry wheel :D
    SO addictive no doubt!

    Cheers
    Choc Chip Uru

    ReplyDelete
  28. Your pinwheels look delightful and while the weather is still warm served up with a crisp sparkling wine would be perfect. Thanks for sharing.

    Velva

    ReplyDelete
  29. I get Power Greens from Trader Joe's and almost always have a bag in my fridge... love how you've incorporated them into a pastry. Who wouldn't eat their greens this way?? Perfection!!

    ReplyDelete
  30. What a great use of the puffed pastry and greens. They would be terrific served with cocktails before a dinner party.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Whatever would we do without the oh so handy prepared puff pastry. This looks like a delicious appetizer, Susan, and I would enjoy several slices with a salad for a light lunch or dinner. I wish you could send some rain our way.

    ReplyDelete
  32. Super delicious and SO pretty - LOVE the ingredients:)
    Mary

    ReplyDelete
  33. These are beautiful and would be perfect for a party! I love appetizers almost as much as I love desserts. These are perfect because they sneak in the greens!

    ReplyDelete
  34. I think frozen puff pastry is god's gift to mankind! These look amazing, and I'm in the market for a good appetizer to bring to a wedding shower, this might be the one!

    ReplyDelete
  35. I know I would love these Susan. Thanks for the tip on the Penzey's pepper flakes.

    ReplyDelete
  36. This would be a perfect dinner for me......yum

    ReplyDelete
  37. What a delicious way to eat your greens!! Gonna try!

    ReplyDelete
  38. They look beautiful not to mention delicious. We've had lots of rain and cool temps in Colorado and I've loved every minute. Now we're getting some heat just in time to ripen those tomatoes. Pinning this to my appetizer board.

    ReplyDelete
  39. Yu-um! I know you said "appetizer", but I could make a meal of these.

    ReplyDelete
  40. I love pastry puff and always keep a box or two in my freezer. These make for a perfect appetizer for anytime! They seem to be everyone's favorite and are the first to disappear! Have a great week!

    ReplyDelete

I appreciate your comment!