Description
Flaky pastry pinwheels filled with savory spinach and feta or sun-dried tomato and olive. Perfect for appetizers, snacks, or brunch!
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, very cold and cut into small cubes
- ¾ cup ice water
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 10 ounces fresh spinach, washed and roughly chopped
- 4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, oil-packed, drained and chopped
- ½ cup Kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1 tablespoon milk or water
- Sesame seeds
- Everything bagel seasoning
Instructions
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.
- Cut in the Butter: Add the cold, cubed butter to the flour mixture. Using a pastry blender or your fingertips, cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Work quickly to keep the butter cold.
- Add Ice Water: Gradually add the ice water, one tablespoon at a time, mixing gently after each addition. Continue adding water until the dough just comes together. Do not overmix. The dough should be slightly shaggy but not sticky.
- Form and Chill the Dough: Divide the dough in half. Gently flatten each half into a disc, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight.
- Sauté the Onion and Garlic: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
- Wilt the Spinach: Add the chopped spinach to the skillet and cook until wilted, about 3-5 minutes. You may need to do this in batches. Once the spinach is wilted, remove the skillet from the heat and drain any excess liquid.
- Combine Filling Ingredients: In a medium bowl, combine the wilted spinach mixture, crumbled feta cheese, grated Parmesan cheese, beaten egg, and ground nutmeg. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Mix well.
- Sauté the Garlic: Heat the olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Combine Filling Ingredients: In a medium bowl, combine the sautéed garlic and olive oil, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, chopped Kalamata olives, chopped fresh oregano, and grated Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Mix well.
- Roll Out the First Dough Disc: On a lightly floured surface, roll out one of the chilled dough discs into a large rectangle, about 12×16 inches.
- Spread the Spinach and Feta Filling: Evenly spread the spinach and feta filling over the rolled-out dough, leaving a small border along the edges.
- Roll Up the Dough: Starting from one of the long edges, tightly roll up the dough into a log. Pinch the seam to seal it.
- Chill the Log: Wrap the log tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to firm up.
- Repeat with the Second Dough Disc and Sun-Dried Tomato Filling: Repeat steps 1-4 with the second dough disc and the sun-dried tomato and olive filling.
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Slice the Logs: Remove the chilled logs from the refrigerator. Using a sharp knife, slice each log into ½-inch thick rounds.
- Arrange on Baking Sheets: Place the pinwheels on the prepared baking sheets, leaving some space between each one.
- Prepare the Egg Wash: In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and milk (or water) to create the egg wash.
- Brush with Egg Wash: Brush the tops of the pinwheels with the egg wash.
- Add Toppings (Optional): Sprinkle the pinwheels with sesame seeds or everything bagel seasoning, if desired.
- Bake: Bake the pinwheels in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until they are golden brown and the pastry is cooked through.
- Cool: Remove the baking sheets from the oven and let the pinwheels cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Serving Suggestions: Serve warm or at room temperature. Great as an appetizer, snack, or brunch addition. Serve with tzatziki or hummus for dipping.
Notes
- Keeping the butter cold is crucial for flaky pastry.
- Don’t overmix the dough, or it will become tough.
- Chilling the dough and logs is essential for easy handling and flakiness.
- Drain excess liquid from the spinach filling to prevent soggy pinwheels.
- Be careful not to burn the garlic when sautéing.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes