Recipe: Pesto Pinwheels

Making the transition to vegetarianism has been a bit of a challenge from both a time and a monetary perspective. While we are committed to the changes, and strongly motivated by the expectation that it will improve the H-man's chances of beating the cancer, the practicalities of changing the way we cook and eat haven't been all that easy. I have been gradually cleaning out the pantry, the fridge and cabinets, getting rid of foods that are no longer viable options for us. Who needs relish when we no longer eat hot dogs? Ditto for the sugar laden BBQ sauce that the H-man liked as a dipping sauce for pork.

Some decisions are easy; others much harder. Call it rationalization if you like, but we are consuming some "marginal" items which will be replaced with better alternatives in the future. One of these items was a package of puff pastry sheets in my freezer. Very low in sugar, though not made with whole wheat, I used it as the basis for something the H-man went crazy over. While he hasn't suffered any of the traditional nausea that plagues chemo patients (and I believe his dietary changes, positive attitude and overall health play a major part here), it is still important for us to keep his body well fueled. Facing a life crisis like cancer is a big deal both physically and emotionally. My goal is to feed not only his body but his spirit as well, and these little babies did it (even if they aren't "diet perfect" - yet!).

All summer I grew and used fresh basil abundantly. Now that colder weather has settled into our northern latitude, I am forced to try and keep plants alive indoors or buy fresh at the grocers. While I may use the basil in any number of ways, our favorite is of course in Pesto. I rarely use a recipe or measurements, but rather make it based on how much basil I can harvest or buy at the time. The smell of basil wafting through the house is enough to make the H-man come running, tongue hanging out, salivating. So here's a recipe I created based on what I had available. I will try it again in the future with a whole wheat filo dough if I can find some.

PESTO PINWHEELS

Ingredients
about 2 cups (more or less) fresh basil leaves (one large hydroponic batch from the grocery store should do it)
1 or 2 cloves garlic, peeled, cut into quarters
olive oil (fresh, EVOO, the best you can afford)
about 1/2 cup fresh, grated parmigiana reggiano, Parmesan or pecorino Romano cheese (not the Parmesan stuff that comes in a can....)
about 1/2 cup nuts (pignolias or pine nuts, almonds or walnuts)
1/2 package (1 sheet) puff pastry, defrosted overnight in the fridge

NOTE: Pignolias - also called pine nuts - have come under attack recently. The US crops have suffered some losses, and prices have risen to upwards of $35 per pound. Imported nuts, while less costly, have been infected with salmonella. Though I am a purist at heart and have always made my pesto with pignolias in the past, I find it prudent to steer clear of them right now, and have substituted other nuts with no significant loss of overall taste.

Directions

• Heat a small skillet over medium heat - do not add oil or any kind of cooking spray! When the pan is warm, add the nuts. Shake the pan every 30 seconds or so, until the nuts are toasted and lightly browned. Remove from heat and let the nuts cool completely before adding to the pesto. NOTE: While you can skip this step and use raw nuts, toasting the nuts brings out more flavors and helps "refresh" slightly stale nuts.


• Add the garlic to a food processor and process until finely chopped


• Add the basil and continue to process until well chopped


• Alternately add the oil and cheese until basil is finely chopped and it is the consistency of a thick paste. (Pesto consistency depends on its ultimate use - for pasta, it might be thinner, but for these delights, it should be a little on the thicker side. That means a little more cheese and nuts, a little less oil.)


• Add the nuts and pulse into they are incorporated into the pesto, but not completely minced.


• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.


• Lay out the pastry sheet and roll out to smooth the dough and make slightly larger


• Spread the pesto over the dough all the way to the side and bottom edges. Leave about 3/4" at the top of the dough without pesto.


• Starting at the bottom, roll up. Spread a little water across the dough at the top (the part without the pesto) so it will adhere to the roll.


• Slice the roll into quarters, then slice each quarter into three or four slices - for a total of 12 to 16 slices.


• Lay slices flat on a parchment lined (or silicon lined) baking sheet. Since they tend to "flatten" when sliced, so I round them up a bit as a lay them on the cookie sheet.


• Bake about 15 minutes until pastry is cooked, light brown and "flaky" in appearance.


• Serve hot, warm or cold. To retain the crispy texture, it is best to reheat in oven rather than microwave.

I served them with a large salad, but they'd go equally well with a bowl of soup or as an appetizer. And walnuts are a very heart healthy protein! Enjoy!