New Year's Appetizer: Savory Palmiers

I got this recipe from one of Ina Garten's cookbooks which explains that palmier is French for elephant ear. These are flaky and delicate just like the real thing, but the goat cheese, sundried tomatoes, pesto and pine nuts give them a sophisticated flavor that you wouldn't find at a carnival. Make them for your New Year's gathering tonight and you're sure to get a ton of compliments! I don't like taking New Year's Eve too seriously but I know I will be with lots of my favorite people. I hope you have a great night and continue reading next year!

Puff pastry topped with pesto, crumbled goat cheese, sun dried tomatoes and toasted pine nuts

Roll up the loaded puff pastry sheets so they look like...

this!

Savory Palmiers: sliced and baked to golden perfection

Savory Palmiers

Recipe adapted from Ina Garten

Ingredients

1 package Pepperidge Farm puff pastry, defrosted

Fresh homemade pesto, recipe here

1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese

1/4 cup finely chopped sundried tomatoes (the recipe calls for the kind in oil, but I used the packaged kind and they tasted great!)

1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

Directions

Toast the pine nuts for about 6 minutes by placing them in a small pan and turning the heat to medium. Mix them around by shaking the pan.

Lightly flour a cutting board and carefully unfold one sheet of puff pastry.

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.

Repeat the entire instructions for the second sheet of puff pastry using the remaining ingredients.

For each sheet, tuck in the edge and roll them up so they look like the picture above. Use a fork to push down and seal the edges.

Cover the roll ups with plastic wrap and place them in the fridge for 45 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Slice them into 1/4 inch thick slices and place, 2 inches apart, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (note: parchment paper is different from wax paper!)

Place them in the oven and bake for 12-14 minutes, until the pastry has turned a light golden brown.