Pepperoni Palmiers

My favorite party appetizers are ones that look really hard to make, but are actually easy to pull together and taste like comfort food. I spotted pepperoni palmieres on this blog and immediately knew that was a must-try.

The appetizer is a savory take on palmiers, the Parisian pastry that are often called "elephant ears." But for my American tastebuds, they were like fancy pizza rolls, which is to say they were awesome. The best part? You can make them up to one day ahead.

Buy frozen puff pastry sheets, which are available in the frozen aisle, usually above the Cool Whip. Allow the sheet to thaw for 40 minutes, then cut one sheet in half cross-wise.

Smear each half with dijon mayonnaise. I used Grey Poupon, of course.

Lay down slices of pepperoni, fairly evenly spaced since you'll be slicing the roll.

Then cover with a mixture of grated parmesan cheese, thyme, oregano and black pepper.

Roll each end toward the middle, so that two rolls are meeting in the middle.

Push the ends together, and baste the top with an egg wash. This is key for getting the golden brown, flaky crust.

I wrapped each roll with plastic wrap and refrigerated overnight. When I was ready to make them, I preheated the oven to 450, sliced them and placed them on aluminum foil-lined baking sheets. The foil was spritzed with vegetable spray. Cook for 15-20 minutes, until they look beautiful and flaky!

Ta-Da! Seriously delicious, and could be done with a million variations: ham and cheese, spinach and cheese, etc. I also know a friend who recently made nutella palmiers...yes please!