Never fear dear Readers – your New Year’s Eve hors d’oeuvres dreams have been answered! These prosciutto pinwheels are the perfect accompaniment to champagne/sparkling wine and make any occasion special. I have been whipping these up for YEARS and they are always devoured within minutes. In fact, this is probably my most requested recipe of all time.

I was introduced to the prosciutto pinwheels when my aunt brought them to our family Christmas years and years ago. One taste and I knew instantly that I had to make them. She originally found the recipe in Bon Appétit magazine, but you call pull it up now on Epicurious.com. Over the years, I have added a few elements to change it up a bit and really like the slight variation on the original, but the original recipe is also amazing as written.

Prosciutto pinwheels are a staple in our house any time we are serving sparkling wine. Salty foods are the absolute best pairing with a dry bubbly. I swear, if you have never tried potato chips and champagne together, then you are depriving your taste buds of a delightful treat. For our New Year’s Eve celebration, we always have bowls of potato chips, popcorn, and mounds of prosciutto pinwheels to snack on throughout the night. At midnight, Rob and I always follow a Spanish tradition and eat 12 grapes in succession. Each grape represents the corresponding months of the New Year. If all of your grapes are sweet, then you will have great luck the entire year through. If your third grape is sour, then March may be a bit rocky for you, and so on. We have always had fun playing with this tradition and seeing what the coming year has in store.

Whatever your traditions may be for ringing in the New Year, I hope you have a happy, safe, and healthy celebration with loved ones.

 

Happy 2016 Everyone!

 

Prosciutto Pinwheels

Recipe adapted from Bon Appétit Magazine, March 2003

 

Ingredients:

1 sheet of frozen puff pastry, thawed and cut in half lengthwise (one sheet is typically half a package)

4 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto

4 ounces gruyere cheese, shredded

½ teaspoon grainy Dijon mustard

6 large basil leaves, chopped

¼ teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary

1 egg, beaten

 

Instructions:

If you have not already cut your thawed puff pastry sheet in half, please do so now. You will want to have two separate rectangles to work with.

Arrange your two puff pastry rectangles flat on a work surface. Divide the prosciutto slices evenly between each pastry rectangle, leaving a ½ inch border along one long side of the puff pastry and a ¼ inch border on the opposing side.

Place your shredded cheese in a medium size bowl and add the mustard. Toss gently to evenly coat the cheese shreds with the mustard. Divide the cheese evenly between the two pastry sheets by sprinkling it on top of the prosciutto. Now divide the chopped basil between the two and sprinkle evenly on top of the cheese. Do the same with the chopped rosemary.

Starting with the ¼ inch border of the puff pastry that you left uncovered, begin by rolling it into a log shape, working toward the ½ inch border you left. (You want to try and make this as tight a roll as possible to make things easier for you later on.) Once you rolled it up nice and tight, spread some of the beaten egg underneath the pastry border to help with sealing. Pinch the pastry so that it holds a log shape on its own with your help. (The egg will make this a lot easier. For tough spots, I dip my fingers in the egg and then use circular motions to blend the pastry sides together.) Wrap the entire pastry log in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least one hour. Repeat this process with the other puff pastry. (If you are in a time crunch, you can place it in the freezer instead for 10 to 15 minutes.)

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silpats.

Remove the pastry logs from the plastic wrap and place on a cutting board. Using a sharp, serrated knife, cut each log crosswise into ½ inch size rounds. To help keep the cheese inside the rounds, use the flat end of your knife blade to pack the cut end of the log after each slice. Evenly place the pinwheel rounds flat on your baking sheets with approximately 1 inch of space between each one. (If the cheese has fallen out during the transfer, just scoop it up and divide it among the pinwheels as needed.)

Bake in your preheated oven for approximately 16 minutes or until flaky and golden brown. I recommend baking them one sheet at a time in the center of your oven, but if you do both cookie sheets at once, rotate halfway through the baking process to ensure even browning.

Allow to cool slightly before removing the pinwheels from the baking sheet to your serving dish, but you definitely want to serve these puppies warm! Enjoy!