Can you guys believe that Thanksgiving is next week?! I can’t. I just…can’t.
The month of October just went and straight up evaporated on me. Yes, yes, time always flies by, and I know I’ve mentioned this a bajillion times since having a kid, but really…October seems like…it didn’t happen. Like, I’m still waiting for October to get here. Ugh!?
That said, I am always surprised at how fast Thanksgiving sneaks up on me. Every year, I travel for work during the second week of November, and once I’m home, I belatedly realize that Thanksgiving is usually less than two weeks away. And I’m always surprised. You would think I would have it figured out by now, but no.
If you’re like me, chances are you haven’t planned out your full menu yet. I’m sharing a couple incredible but EASY appetizers this week. They look and sound super impressive, but I promise you, they’re simple to put together. These pastry pinwheels are up first!
First, let’s just talk about how cute they are. They are a two-biter (OK, maybe a three-biter if you’re more ladylike than me) pastry filled with all my favorite things. Goat cheese. Soppressata. Spinach. And FIG JAM.
Say it with me: “OMGYUM.” Yup. All one word.
The puff pastry is easy to work with. I buy it in the frozen section and allow it to defrost in the fridge for a couple hours. All you do is unwrap it and fill it up with whatever your heart desires. The combo of ingredients I went with is straight-up magical. Total flavor and texture perfection.
The salty soppressata might be my favorite cured meat of all time. I love it on a cheese plate, often paired with sharp cheese and something sweet like fig jam or dried apricots. It is peppery and salty and lovely.
I echoed my cheese plate preferences here. In fact, this is like a whole cheese plate wrapped up in an adorable pastry package. What could be bad about that?!
The tangy goat cheese and luscious fig preserves tie this whole thing together. The spinach is wonderful too, but I must say, I added it mostly for color than anything else. It gives the pinwheels some substance, too.
These are perfect for Thanksgiving day because you can prep and assemble them completely ahead of time. You can even slice the pinwheels and freeze them on a baking tray days in advance, if you need to. They bake off in no time at all, and can be served warm or at room temperature.
I like mine with extra fig jam for dipping. That sweet bite is just so darn lovely with the salty and savory components.
Don’t they look fancy?? No one has to know just how easy they are.
That’s a two-biter in my world.
Soppressata, Goat Cheese, & Fig Pastry Pinwheels
- Yield: 4-6 appetizer servings 1x
Ingredients
- 1 sheet of frozen puff pastry, defrosted
- Egg wash
- ¼ cup fig jam
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese (don’t use the fresh mozzarella here – it will be too wet)
- 2 oz soppressata (or pepperoni), sliced paper thin (I have my deli person do this for me)
- 1 cup of baby spinach leaves
- 4 oz goat cheese
- Salt and pepper
- Additional fig jam, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Gently unroll the pastry on a lightly floured surface. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough slightly just to even out the cracks and create as much surface area as possible. Brush the egg wash over the entire surface of the pastry.
- Spread the fig jam in an even layer over the pastry.
- Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese evenly over the jam. Top with a layer of soppressata slices and spinach leaves.
- Crumble the goat cheese evenly over top. Season everything with a sprinkle of salt and pepper.
- Carefully roll the pastry like a jelly roll, starting at the longer side of the pastry, just as you would roll cinnamon rolls. Once it is completely rolled, gently press the open seams together to seal.
- Using a sharp knife, cut the roll into ½-inch slices and place the slices, cut side down, on the prepared baking sheet.
- Brush the pastry rounds with additional egg wash and bake for 15-18 minutes or until they are puffed and golden brown.
- Cool slightly before serving with additional fig jam for dipping.
Hi There. I'm Molly. I'm a food-obsessed, self-taught cook and I can't wait to share my passion for all things culinary with you. My love for egg yolks is just the tip of the iceberg!
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