You would think that after writing an entire book on pimento cheese, and a book on southern snacks, and a book about funeral food, I would have exhausted any ideas for the creative use of pimento cheese. But apparently not. These were admittedly a bit of a throw together emergency appetizer, but that first time I served them they were raved over and absolutely devoured, so I had to go make some notes on the recipe before I forgot, while my guests were still eating. They are very simple to pull together but have a lot of flavor and punch. And they are attractive too. So if there is some kind of sportsball event you need some snacks for, here you go.
I use an all butter puff pastry like DuFour because the flavor and texture is so much better, but really any version will do. And no, I don’t skip steps and just use prepared pimento cheese. The spread version made with mayonnaise, which is eggs and oil, will split and become greasy and separated when heated, so this trick of mixing cheddar and cream cheese gives you a nice cohesive, flavorful filling. I add the classic seasonings of paprika and Worcestershire, but that’s really up to you. I spoonful of mustard wouldn’t go amiss, or some extra garlic or smoked paprika. These are great served hot from the oven, delicious just warm but pretty darn good at room temperature.
Kitchen Favorites
Ingredients
1 sheet of frozen puff pastry (preferably all butter, like DuFour)
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated
½ teaspoon sweet paprika
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2-ounce jar of diced pimentos
1 egg
Directions
- Thaw the puff pastry according to the package instructions.
- Put the soft cream cheese and grated cheddar in a small mixing bowl with the paprika, garlic powder, salt and Worcestershire. Blend with a fork until everything is evenly distributed. Drain the pimentos and pat them dry with a paper towel. Add to the cheese mixture and stir with the fork to distribute them evenly as well.
- Unfold the puff pastry onto a piece of parchment paper on the counter. Roll it out slightly to blend in any folds and even it into a consistent thickness. Spread the cheese mixture in an even layer, almost to the edges of the pastry, but leaving about ¼ inch margin all around. Starting with the longer side, begin rolling the pastry. Tuck the first roll in tightly, then use the parchment paper to help roll tightly. Wrap the roll in the parchment, twisting the ends like a candy wrapper and shaping the whole into a tight log. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour to firm everything up, but up to two days is fine, or you can wrap the parchment log in plastic wrap and freeze for up to three months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
- When ready to bake, heat the oven to 400 degrees. Line two rimmed baking sheets with fresh parchment paper. Beat the egg with a little water. Take the roll from the oven and use a serrated knife to cut ½-inch thick slices. Place them ½-inch apart on the prepared baking sheets and brush the tops lightly with the beaten egg. Bake for 15 – 18 minutes, until puffed and golden. Serve warm.
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