Cilantro Pesto Pinwheels

I am very happy to share with you all a recipe I came up with.  How I came up with this recipe is a long story.  I tried out a recipe I saw in a magazine. The recipe called for wrapping sausage meat in a pastry sheet, cutting it into ½” circles and baking it. Puff Rolls came out great and the taste was fine too, but I was unsure if the meat inside the puff rolls was fully cooked. So I decided not to share the recipe with you all (there is another story behind that). However, I will share the pictures very soon.

I had one more pasty sheet in the freezer and wanted to use it.  I thought of preparing the same recipe again, with either cooked sausage or seasoned mashed potato, rather than raw sausage meat, but changed my mind.  Then I thought of spreading either cooked minced meat or mashed potato on the pastry sheet and rolling it into a pinwheel and that didn’t quite appeal me either.  Then I remembered the tri-color cilantro chutney, cucumber and tomato sandwiches.  I wondered, how about spreading cilantro chutney/pesto, sprinkling some roasted red bell which were sitting in my fridge, and some onion.  And here I am with a delicious Cilantro Mint Pesto Pinwheels.

This is my entry for Herb Mania, started by Dee of Ammalus Kitchen and this months theme is Cilantro, hosted by Siri’s Corner. I am also sending this to SnackORama, for her Sunday Snacks: Bake It, Original Recipe event and to EC for WYF: Salad/Starter/Soups event.

Total Time: 30-35 (excludes thawing time)
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Baking Time: 20-25 minutes
Yields: 30-35

• Chutney/Pesto
  • 2 Roasted Almonds
  • 2 Walnuts
  • ½ cup Chopped Cilantro (approx. I didn’t measure it)
  • ½ cup Chopped Mint (approx. I didn’t measure)
  • 3 Cloves Garlic Chopped
  • 5 Green Chilies Chopped (adjust to taste. It is a little spicy)
  • Salt to Taste
  • 2 tbsp Lemon Juice (it is an approx. measure. adjust to taste)
• ½ Small Onion Chopped
• ½ cup Roasted Red Bell Pepper Chopped(I used store bought roasted red bell peppers in a bottle)
• 1 Puff Pasty Sheet (Pepperridge farm box comes with 2 Pastry Sheets)
• 2 tbsp Mozzarella Cheese (opt. I used it today but won’t use it next time)

• Thaw pastry sheet for 40 minutes, as instructed on the box.
• Grind all the ingredients listed under pesto.
• Preheat the oven to 400F.
• Cut the pastry sheet into two, lengthwise.
• Spread the pesto on the sheets. Sprinkle onions, bell peppers and cheese.

• Roll the pastry sheet lengthwise.

• Cut it into ½” rolls. Arrange in a aluminum foil lined baking sheet.

• Bake for 20-25 minutes until they turn golden brown.
• Remove form oven and let sit for 5 minutes.
• Serve it as an appetizer or a snack, as it is or with your favorite sauce or dip.

These colorful, delicious Cilantro Pesto Pinwheels are making their entry to Original Recipe, WYF: Salad/Starter/Soups, Sunday Snacks: Bake It!, Herb Mania: Cilantro events.