Easy Spinach and Ricotta Puff Pastry Pinwheels
Flaky layers, earthy spinach, cheesy filling? These spinach and ricotta puff pastry pinwheels are the most delicious, crowd-pleasing appetizer for parties and holidays! With just a handful of ingredients, they come together quickly for an easy and elegant hors d'oeuvre. Seriously, I could eat 100 of these bites!
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole milk ricotta cheese (500 grams)
- 10 ounces baby spinach, roughly chopped (280 grams)
- 1 1/2 cups shredded gruyère cheese, loosely packed (105 grams)
- 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, loosely packed (35 grams)
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic (2 cloves)
- 2 Tablespoons freshly-minced chives (12 grams)
- Red pepper flakes, to taste
- Kosher salt & freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 sheets puff pastry, preferably all-butter, thawed (520 grams)
- 1 egg
Equipment
- 1-2 sheet pans
- Parchment paper
- Cheese cloth
- Rolling Pin
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Spoon the ricotta cheese into the middle of a square of cheese cloth or a thin, clean kitchen towel. Gather the corners of the cheese cloth/towel to create a pouch. Squeeze the ricotta to remove as much extra liquid as possible.
- Place the drained ricotta into a medium bowl. Add the spinach, gruyère, parmesan, garlic, chives, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Stir until smooth.
- Next, roll one sheet of puff pastry into a 10x12-inch rectangle. Spread half of the filling over the puff pastry sheet all the way to the edges. Starting with the long end towards you, tightly roll the puff pastry into a long log. Repeat with the remaining puff pastry and filling.
- Freeze the pinwheel logs for 15-20 minutes or refrigerate for 30-45 minutes. Once the logs are chilled, use a sharp knife to cut the logs into 1/2-inch slices. Line 6-8 pinwheels on the prepared sheet pan 2-3 inches apart. Refrigerate the remaining pinwheels for later.
- In a small bowl, whisk the egg with 1 Tablespoon of water to make an egg wash. Using a pastry brush, brush the pinwheels with the egg wash.
- Bake for 15-16 minutes until the pinwheels are flaky and golden-brown. Repeat with the remaining pinwheels and serve them warm. Enjoy!
Notes
Make sure to thaw the puff pastry before making this recipe! You can thaw it at room temp for about 30 minutes or overnight in the fridge.
No cheese cloth? You can use a fine mesh sieve instead! Spoon the ricotta into the sieve over a bowl. Cover and let the ricotta overnight.
Feel free to use frozen spinach. Just make sure to squeeze out extra liquid like you do with the ricotta.
Always use freshly-grated cheese! Not only does it taste better but it melts better too. Pre-shredded cheese will clump up.
Make sure to seal the edge of the puff pastry when you roll it up. If it won't stick, you can use a little egg wash to help it stay together.
The pinwheels should be cold before you bake them. If they're too warm, they will melt apart instead of coming out golden brown and flaky.
Serving: 1pinwheel, Calories: 77kcal, Carbohydrates: 4.6g, Protein: 2.8g, Fat: 5.3g, Saturated Fat: 2.2g, Cholesterol: 7mg, Sodium: 46mg, Potassium: 55mg, Fiber: 0.3g, Sugar: 0.2g, Calcium: 59mg
Did you make this recipe?Tag @sundaytable.co on Instagram!