Move over famous rolls, these will make history.

Cakes and Breads / October 5, 2015

Its like seeing your name on the CEO’s door I feel so famous. Really, it didn’t take much but for some reason I know I am now among all of the great “rolls” in history. There’s Roll Over Beethoven, Dinner Rolls, Roll Call, Rollo May, and who can leave out Rock and Roll! Next I fully expect to see a limousine pulling up in front of my house. When it does, I am certain the driver will emerge smiling, and the first thing he will ask me is, (Yes, it is a man. A Chippendale clone.) “May I please try one of your famous Sausage, Parmesan and Spinach Stuffed Puff Pastry Wheels?” I will of course oblige, and insist that he let us bite into it together.

I may haven fallen victim to my own imagination, but when I was rolling up these little gems, it just felt like I had created the kind of culinary milestone akin to discovering a salad spinner or chocolate ganache. You just know everything will be different. Maybe that was because my husband’s eyes popped open upon chewing on his first wheel, telling me I could make these ALL the time. Or the quick succession of Instagram LIKES that ensued. Or maybe because it was such a simple thing to assemble and it was so, so satisfying on a rainy night. Easy is often the most epic, right?

You may choose to chalk this post up to another of my creative delusions. Which could be true. But I will guarantee this delusion tastes divine.

And the drumroll, please….

Sausage Spinach Parmesan Puff Pastry Wheels With Jalapeño Jelly

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

½ lb. Jimmy Dean Hot Sausage, cooked and broken down (half the regular package)
½ C cooked chopped spinach, all water squeezed out. (I use the frozen kind. It is quicker.)
½ C 2% small curd cottage cheese
1/3 C fresh grated Parmesan Cheese
2 eggs, divided
½ t salt, ¼ t pepper
1 and 1/3 sheets of puff pastry
2 T flour
½ C warmed green jalapeno jelly

Direction:

Bring the puff pastry to room temperature, about 45 minutes thawing on counter. Thaw and use right away. Don’t want to thaw and then let it sit. While thawing, brown the sausage and set aside. Cook the spinach, drain, remove all moisture, set aside. (You can also use leftover cooked spinach and leftover cooked sausage. Just bring to room temperature. Then this is SUPER quick!) Mix the cottage cheese, 1 egg, salt and pepper, parmesan cheese. Then stir in the spinach to the cheese mixture and blend evenly.
Beat the second egg in a small bowl, set aside. Roll out the puff pastry, attaching 1/3 panel of the other puff pastry sheet to make the one sheet. Press seams so it won’t tear. Sprinkle with flour and roll it out to about 10% bigge,r or so that it is about 12 inches tall by 16-18 inches long. Spread the cheese spinach mixture atop the dough, spreading out to edges but leaving a 1.5” lip on each of the long sides for sealing and rolling. Then sprinkle with the cooked sausage. Starting from one end, carefully roll the whole thing lengthwise, meaning that the finished roll will be 12 inches long. When you get to the end, brush the inside width of the reveal with the egg wash, and seal well. Form carefully with your hands so everything is bound together but not squished. Cut into 1” wheels, using a sharp serrated knife for ease of cutting through the stubborn spinach. Should be 12 wheels.
Arrange on a large cookie sheet. Bake for 18 minutes or until golden brown on the bottom. Don’t overcook!
Serve atop a swirl of heated jalapeno jelly. Seriously, awesome!

puff pastry