When I was planning our holiday party menu, I had a very difficult time with appetizers. I wanted to balance between heavier, protein-filled appetizers and lighter, vegetarian appetizers. I found it hard to find vegetarian appetizers that were light but not labor-intensive. We were expecting about 50 people, so crostini wasn’t really a feasible option. It would have taken quite a while and so many, it would have been difficult to set out on a platter. I didn’t want a veggies and dip or pita and hummus – the former I’ve done the past two years in a row and the latter just seemed too blah to me. So, when all else fails, I turned to my collection of Barefoot Contessa cookbooks. She hasn’t let me down yet.
These savory palmiers were the perfect vegetarian addition to the holiday party menu. They were a nice light option to counter the stuffed meatballs, crab cakes, and all the desserts. The best part for me was that they were very easy to make. One batch made a large number but was still quick to assemble. I also liked them because I was able to take liberties with the ingredients – I had extra of everything so I was able to fill them a bit more than directed. I enjoyed the tang of the sun-dried tomato, the crunch of the pine nuts, and the bright flavor of the pesto. As I mention below, these palmiers are best served as fresh as possible.
Pesto Palmiers
Adapted from Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics
Also available on Food Network
Makes 60 Palmiers
Ingredients:
- 1 pkg. puff pastry sheets, defrosted
- 1/2 c. pesto
- 1/4 c. crumbled goat cheese
- 1/4 c. pine nuts, toasted
- 1/4 c. sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil (drained and diced)
- kosher salt
Instructions:
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. (Do not preheat the oven yet, as dough will have to be refrigerated).
- Lightly flour a large cutting board or counter. Lay out one sheet of puff pastry and roll out until it’s about 11×9.
- Spread half of the pesto, goat cheese, pine nuts, and diced sun-dried tomatoes on the first sheet of puff pastry. Make sure you go to the ends of the pastry sheet. Sprinkle with kosher salt.
- Fold each of the short ends into the center twice. Press down slightly.
- Move to prepared baking sheet and repeat with remaining sheet of puff pastry and the rest of the ingredients. Refrigerate both sheets for at least 45 minutes.
- Just prior to removing from the fridge, preheat oven to 400F and line another two baking sheets with parchment paper (or reuse the one from the fridge).
- Cut each log into slices, about 1/4-inch thick. You should get about 30 slices per puff pastry log.
- Place slices on prepared baking sheets 2 inches apart, cut side down. Bake for 14 minutes, until golden brown.
Serve warm or at room temperature. Palmiers are best as fresh as possible. I had tried them leftover, the day after I made them, and they tasted pretty stale.
Preparation time: 1 hour
Cooking time: 15-30 minutes