Hungry Sam Goes to Law School; Makes Parmesan Puff Pastry Pinwheels

BAM. Hope that picture whets your collective appetite. But first, the news.

In case you hadn't heard -- and why would you have -- I am embarking on another adventure. Not, as over the summer, to destinations international; rather, I am now a law student.

Ayuh -- as they say in the land of my birth. Maybe I'll do food law. Lawyer for the chefs. Representing contestants on Hell's Kitchen in their suits for intentional infliction of emotional distress.

What this means for you, dear reader: Mostly I'll now have an onoing excuse when I'm late with posting some new delicious recipe. I'll try not to sound like a broken record.

This may also mean that my posts will have less of a "what to make when you have tons of time on your hands" flavor and a bit more of a "fast -- cheap -- awesome" vibe to them. AND SO, in that spirit:

Parmesan Puff Pastry Pinwheels with Mustard and Genoa Salami! (Click through for recipe.)

These require a better name. "P4MGS" sounds more like a gene than a food. I'll come back to this.

I digress! They're delicious and awesome, and absurdly easy. I can't say they're even remotely healthy, but hey. We can't have it all. The intense salami flavor really imbues the whole pinwheel with a nice tang, and the parmesan and mustard pick up right where the salami leaves off. I've made them twice in the last month, both times as low maintenance appetizers/hors d'oeuvres. The ingredients are such that you could even freeze the perishable elements and simply have a ready-to-go apps recipe for those last minute potlucks. So with very little further ado:

Parmesan Puff Pastry Pinwheels with Mustard and Genoa Salami

(Makes a bunch. Maybe twenty?)

1 package frozen puff pastry (two sheets) -- I'm not going to ask anyone to make this from scratch.

6 tablespoons whole-grain prepared mustard

1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese, plus more for finishing -- use the bagged stuff.

2 teaspoons dried oregano, plus more for finishing

1/4 pound very thinly sliced Genoa salami -- get it at the deli.

Ground black pepper

1) Thaw the puff pastry according to package instructions (you should be able to do it in the microwave, maybe 20-30 seconds). Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease two aluminum foil-covered baking sheets.

2) Unfold pastry sheets and lay them out on your workspace (not the baking sheets). Spread 3 T. of mustard on each sheet. (I like to have a heavy hand, but if you think it needs more or less mustard -- you're the chef.) Continue by sprinkling half the cheese and half the oregano on each. Lay a single layer of salami on each sheet. Overlap is fine (salami is circular and puff pastry is rectangular, after all).

3). Carefully roll up each sheet as tightly as you can without squishing everything. Cut the roll into 3/4 inch pinwheels (perpendicular to the long axis of the roll). Arrange the coins on your prepped baking sheets, giving each as much room as you can. Sprinkle a touch more oregano, parmesan, and the black pepper on top of each pinwheel.

4). Bake 20-25 minutes, or until they reach the desired level of crispy, goldeny deliciousness. 

Et Voila! The perfect, fast contribution to any dinner party or potluck, all in a law student's budget and timeframe!

Until next time, stay Hungry!