Whether you are throwing a Sunday brunch or hosting a gathering for any special occasion, I assure you that you want these spinach and cheese twisted pinwheels at the table. These are among the easiest appetizer recipes that you can pull off without any help or any additional skill. The recipe comes together in about 40 minutes, and you only need a handful of ingredients. But as I always say, take fresh ingredients for more flavor.
Here’s what you need: fresh spinach – washed, blanched, drained, and chopped; 2 puff pastry sheets of 12×10 inches (make it yourself, because it will taste better than the store-bought one); a variety of cheeses; butter; and some seasonings. That is all it takes. You can make alterations to the recipe once you give the original a try. I kept it simple, but you can caramelize onions to bring an umami flavor. So, let me give you a cheat sheet so you can replicate this no-skill-required-whatsoever recipe yourself at home and impress people.
- Prep Time: 10 Minutes
- Cook Time: 30 Minutes
- Total Time: 40 Minutes
- Difficulty Level: Easy
Ingredients:
- Softened cream cheese – 100g (3.5oz)
- Fresh spinach – 280g (10oz)
- Shredded cheese (mozzarella and cheddar) – 110g (1 cup)
- 2 sheets puff pastry (preferably homemade)
- Salted Butter – 2 Tablespoons
- Salt
- Sesame seeds – 1 tablespoon
- Garlic powder (optional)
Instructions:
- Prep the Ingredients: Preheat the oven to 218 degrees Celsius (425 degrees Fahrenheit). Meanwhile, wash, blanch, and squeeze out the moisture from the spinach. Once the moisture is barely there, give the spinach a nice dicing. In a large bowl, combine the diced spinach, cream cheese, a pinch of salt, and garlic powder, if using
- Spread Mixture Over the Pastry: Roll out one sheet of the puff pastry into the mentioned size and spread the spinach and cheese mixture on it evenly. Spread the shredded cheese on it and top with the second puff pastry sheet
- Cut Into 1-Inch Strips and Twist: Take a rolling pin and roll the puff pastry slightly to seal the filling between two puff pastry sheets. Take a rolling-style cutter or a knife and cut the sheets into one-inch strips. Once cut, take individual strips and lightly twist them in the opposite direction (like you would a wet cloth to wring out water from it), and create pinwheels
- Bake and Serve: Place the twisted pinwheels on a baking sheet, brush with melted butter if making a vegetarian version (you can use egg wash, which works better), and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake in the oven for 15-25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove and let them cool slightly before serving
That is all. A couple of things to note: Do not overcrowd the pinwheels in the oven, or else they can stick to each other. Bake them in batches if required. This recipe yields about a dozen twisted pinwheels. You can increase the quantity of the ingredients to increase the yield according to your needs.
