Cheese Pesto Whirls Recipes

PESTO PINWHEELS

Steps:

• Unfold the first sheet of puff pastry on a work surface (if the pastry is sticky, lightly dust the work surface first). Roll it into a 10x12-inch rectangle. Spread with 1/4 cup of pesto leaving a 1/2-inch border on all sides. Lay 5 prosciutto slices on top, overlapping as needed. Sprinkle with 3/4 cup Mozzarella and 2 tablespoons Parmesan.
• Starting at the long (12-inch) edge, roll the puff pastry into a log. Press it lightly as you go so that the filling rolls inside the pastry. Trim the ends so that they are even, then tightly wrap the log with the plastic wrap. Place in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes or up to 1 day. Repeat with the second sheet of puff pastry, and remaining pesto (if using 2 types of pesto, use the second variety here), prosciutto, and cheeses. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
• Once the logs have chilled, using a sharp, serrated knife, carefully cut each log into 1/2-inch-wide slices. (If each log is 12 inches, you will get 24 rolls from each roll-if you are worried about the recipe yield, be sure to measure). Arrange the rolls on the baking sheet spiral-side up, spacing each 1 inch apart. Bake until the puff pastry is flaky and golden brown and the cheese is hot and bubbly, about 18 minutes. Immediately sprinkle with chopped basil as desired. Let cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature.

CHEESE & PESTO WHIRLS

Steps:

• Combine the flour, yeast, sugar and 1½ tsp fine salt in a large mixing bowl, or the bowl of a tabletop mixer. Measure out 300ml warm water and add roughly 280ml to the flour, along with the olive oil, and start mixing until the ingredients start to clump together as a dough. If the dough seems a little dry, add the remaining water. Once combined, knead for 10 mins by hand on your work surface, or for 5 mins on a medium speed in a mixer. The dough is ready when it feels soft, springy and elastic. Clean the bowl, drizzle in a little oil, then pop the dough back in, turning it over and coating the sides of the bowl in oil. Cover with some oiled cling film and set aside in a warm place to double in size - this will take 1-3 hrs, depending on the temperature.
• Line a baking tray with parchment. Uncover the dough and punch it down a couple of times with your fist, knocking out all the air bubbles. Tip out onto a floured work surface and dust the top with a little flour too, if it is sticky. Roll the dough out to a rectangle, roughly 40 x 30cm. Spread the pesto over the dough, then scatter over the tomatoes, both cheeses and the basil. Roll the dough up from one of the longer sides, into a long sausage.
• Use a sharp knife to cut the dough into 12 even pieces. Place on the baking tray, cut-side up, in a 3-by-4 formation, making sure the open end of each roll is tucked in towards the centre on the arrangement - this will prevent them from uncoiling during cooking. Leave a little space between each roll as they will grow and touch as they prove. Loosely cover with oiled cling film and leave to prove for 30 mins-1 hr until almost doubled in size again. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
• Uncover the bread when it is puffed up. Bake on the middle shelf in the oven for 35-40 mins until golden brown and the centre looks dry and not doughy. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for at least 10 mins.

PESTO GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH

Steps:

• Spread one side of a slice of bread with butter, and place it, buttered side down, into a nonstick skillet over medium heat.
• Spread the top of the bread slice in the skillet with half the pesto sauce, and place a slice of provolone cheese, the tomato slices, and the slice of American cheese onto the pesto.
• Spread remaining pesto sauce on one side of the second slice of bread, and place the bread slice, pesto side down, onto the sandwich. Butter the top side of the sandwich.
• Gently fry the sandwich, flipping once, until both sides of the bread are golden brown and the cheese has melted, about 5 minutes per side.