Spinach and Feta Mini Pinwheels

September 8, 2018 by Nicole Collins

Why is it that mini foods are so much more fun than the original?

Is it because they’re adorably darling?

Is it because you can have lots of them for the price of one?

Is it because you can shove a whole one in your mouth without thinking twice?

It really could be any one of those reasons. I guess the world may never know…

Is anyone surprised that I’m like a moth to a flame when it comes to miniature food? Especially, because mini food is usually associated with appetizers and parties. And everyone here knows I’m a sucker for a good appetizer AND a good party!

If you look at either my party or my appetizer Pinterest boards (which you can easily follow by clicking the Pinterest icon on the top or bottom of the screen), there’s probably an unhealthy amount of miniature/tea party like ideas that are pinned.

We all eat with our eyes first, right? Well, I’m a total fool for some of the presentations of these mini foods. I mean, come on. A mini donut wrapped around the straw in a glass of milk? A quarter of a grilled cheese hanging on the side of a cup of tomato soup? I don’t even like tomato soup, but I want every little bit of that!

Today’s recipe isn’t quite as fancy schmancy as some of those ridiculously adorable appetizers, but it is certainly way more fun in mini form than in full sized form.

Today, we’re making Spinach and Feta Mini Pinwheels!

This appetizer comes together pretty quickly. Mix, spread, roll, cut, bake...done. I mean, there's not a ton of effort involved here at all. But I'm telling you, your loved ones will think you slaved away all day over these fun little bites.

For our pinwheel dough, we're using a basic store bought puff pastry. Thaw it according to package directions, roll it out to a little thinner than it comes, then get ready to stuff it! I've never tried to make puff pastry before, but I hear it's a crazy labor intensive project. But, since store bought puff pastry lives in the freezer, you can keep some on hand 24/7. So, frozen puff pastry is one of those grocery store gifts that just keeps on giving.

We need something to roll in our dough, and that's where our easy spinach filling comes in. You don't even need to cook it before you roll it in the dough! Chop some fresh spinach, and mix it with sliced red onion, harissa paste, feta, and a little olive oil. The oil helps to break down the spinach, while the harissa lends tons of garlicky just barely spicy flavor. The red onion adds a nice sharp bite. Then, the feta adds a little pop of salty right at the end. Such a harmonious blend of flavors!

To make these minis, we cut the dough in half before we add our filling. That way, when we roll the dough, we'll get small little logs of goodness that make these cute little baby pinwheels when they're sliced. You could absolutely make these as a full sized pinwheel, as well. But, what fun would that be?

This flavorful filling stuffed inside of a buttery, flaky dough is sure to be a show stopper appetizer. They're totally perfect for holiday time (which is quickly approaching). But, you know how I like to make a meal out of appetizers? These babies became part of my brunch menu! Scramble some eggs and add a little fruit on the side, and you've got a trendy, bistro like meal. Yum!

Mmm...brunch. That's sounds like a good plan to me today!

Alright, everyone! Have a happy Saturday, eat lots of great noms (including these precious pinwheels), and let's eat!

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Spinach and Feta Mini Pinwheels Serves: 20-24 pinwheels Print

Ingredients:

• 2 cups packed spinach, roughly chopped

• ½ small red onion, sliced

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1 tbsp harissa paste

• 4 oz feta, crumbled

• ¼ tsp salt

• ¼ tsp pepper

• 1 egg plus 1 tsp water, well beaten

• 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed according to package directions

• olive oil cooking spray

• flour, for dusting

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a mixing bowl, add spinach, red onion, olive oil, harissa, feta, salt, and pepper. Stir well to combine.

2. Lightly flour your work surface, and roll out puff pastry to approximately 10 in x 12 in. Cut the puff pastry in half across the middle starting on the long side. Spread half of the spinach mix along one half of the puff pastry, leaving a ½ inch border around the edges. Brush the open border with egg wash. Starting at the end closest to you, roll the puff pastry over itself into a log a few times until you reach the end. Seal the seam shut, and use your fingers to pinch the dough on both ends. Repeat with the second half of dough and spinach mix. Brush the outside of each log with egg wash.

3. Lightly spray a baking sheet with olive oil cooking spray. Using a sharp knife, cut each log in to 10-12 pieces. Place on the baking tray cut side up. Lightly brush the tops of the pinwheels with egg wash. Bake for 15 mins until the puff pastry is golden brown. Serve warm or at room temp.

Recipe notes:

*This recipe can be easily doubled to use a whole box (2 sheets) of puff pastry.

*You could substitute kale in place of the spinach in this, if you'd like.

*These don't have to be minis. You could skip the step of cutting the dough in half, and make these full sized pinwheels. Cook time will be the same give or take a minute or two.

*Not only are these a great appetizer, but these are a nice side dish for brunch, too!

*Make sure you spread the filling evenly in the dough. You want to get all of the goodness in every bite.