Pesto Palmiers Recipes

SAVORY PALMIERS

Steps:

• Lightly flour a board and carefully unfold one sheet of puff pastry. Roll the pastry lightly with a rolling pin until it's 9 1/2 by 11 1/2-inches. Spread the sheet of puff pastry with half the pesto, then sprinkle with half the goat cheese, half the sundried tomatoes, and half the pine nuts. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt.
• Working from the short ends, fold each end halfway to the center. Then fold each side again towards the center until the folded edges almost touch. Fold one side over the other and press lightly. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Repeat the entire instructions for the second sheet of puff pastry using the remaining ingredients. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 45 minutes.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Cut the prepared rolls of puff pastry in 1/4 inch thick slices and place them face up 2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake for 14 minutes, until golden brown. Serve warm.
• Place the walnuts, pignolis, and garlic in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process for 30 seconds. Add the basil leaves, salt, and pepper. With the processor running, slowly pour the olive oil into the bowl through the feed tube and process until the pesto is finely pureed. Add the Parmesan and puree for a minute. Serve, or store the pesto in the refrigerator or freezer with a thin film of olive oil on top.

GREEN OLIVE PESTO PALMIERS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 200°C Line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper.
• Process the cashews until small pieces in a food processor.
• Drain the olives and process with the cashews, add the oil to make a nice spreadable consistency. You can add more oil if you want a smoother pesto but I like it a bit chunky.
• Spread 1/5 of the pesto onto a sheet of pastry. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
• Roll one half of the pastry into the middle, then roll the other half into the middle to meet it. Wrap with clingwrap and refrigerate while you prepare the other palmier logs.
• After chilling the logs well, slice the logs into thin slices (1/2-1cm).
• Place pastry slices, cut-side up, on prepared tray, allowing room for spreading.
• Brush with egg wash or milk.
• Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes. Remove from oven. Turn palmiers over, brush again, and bake for a further 4-5 minutes or until golden brown and puffed. Remove from oven. Serve warm or at room temperature (better warm in my opinion!).
• Notes & tips.
• You can prepare this recipe to the end of step 7 up to 1 day ahead. Cover and store in the fridge. Continue from step 4 up to 3 hours ahead.
• Transport tip: Transport cooked palmiers in an airtight container. At destination, preheat oven to 180°C Place palmiers on a baking tray and cook in oven for 5 minutes or until warmed through.

PESTO CRESCENT PALMIERS

Steps:

• Sprinkle cutting board or waxed paper with cheese.
• Separate dough into 4 rectangles; firmly press perforations to seal. Lightly press dough into the cheese.
• Brush rectangles with pesto sauce. Place 1 rectangle, pesto side up, on top of another. Repeat with remaining rectangles.
• Starting with shortest sides, roll up BOTH ends jelly-roll fashion to meet in center. Cut into 8 slices. Repeat with remaining rectangles.
• Place, cut side down, 2 inches apart on greased cookie sheet or baking stone.
• Bake 6 to 12 minutes at 375 degrees or until deep golden brown. Immediately remove from cookies sheets; serve warm.