This Spinach Artichoke and Red Pepper Pastry Wreath is easy to make using store-bought puff pastry. The filling can be made up to two days in advance!
I love an easy make-ahead appetizer for holiday gatherings and this one is particularly festive when plated with some festive greenery around it! I shared this Spinach Artichoke Red Pepper Pastry Wreath recipe on FOX 32 Chicago this morning and it got a ton of compliments.
The stuffing is a traditional (and totally addictive on its own) spinach artichoke dip, wrapped up in store-bought puff pastry. I like my spinach dip to be ultra creamy but not too cheesy, so I make mine with yogurt, mayo, cream cheese and parmesan along with lots of garlic. The roasted red peppers were a completely last-minute addition but they ended up adding a wonderful sweet tangy to each bite, not to mention the gorgeous color.
I know the wreath part looks a bit intimidating, but its actually really easy to make. I got the idea for this recipe from another blogger and she has a full video tutorial that’s worth checking out if you’re feeling intimidated, but its really quite simple. Start by thawing your puff pastry sheet — it should be cold but soft enough to bend. Roll it out until its as wide as a 10 inch dinner plate. Then use the plate as a guide to cut out a circle.
Next use a 4″ bowl to press a smaller circle in the center of the pastry. DO NOT CUT ALL THE WAY THROUGH. Now use a paring knife to cut the smaller circle in half, then quarters and finally eights. You should have eight tiny triangles at the center of your puff pastry.
Now its time to put the filling into the wreath. Make sure you leave about an inch around the edge to bring up the pastry. Sprinkle roasted red peppers over the filling and then gather the edges of the wreath. You can use a little water to help “glue” the little pastry corners to the outside edge of the wreath. Now brush it with egg wash and pop it in the oven.
Spinach Artichoke and Red Pepper Pastry Wreath
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 12 appetizer servings 1x
- Category: appetizer
- Method: baking
- Cuisine: holiday
Description
This Spinach Artichoke and Red Pepper Pastry Wreath is easy to make using store-bought puff pastry. The filling can be made up to two days in advance!
Ingredients
- 1 10-oz package frozen chopped spinach, thawed with all of the water squeezed out using paper towels
- 7 ounces cream cheese
- 1 cans whole artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
- 1/4 cup greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 3 green onions, diced
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup roasted red peppers, drained and finely diced
- 1/2 package (1 sheet) frozen puff pastry dough
- egg wash made using 1 egg + 1 tablespoon water
- Garnish: Fresh rosemary (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Squeeze the thawed spinach to remove as much of the excess water as you can (if you want, you can empty the spinach onto a clean kitchen towel, wrap it up, and wring out the water that way). 3. In a food processor, combine the spinach, cream cheese, yogurt, mayonnaise, lemon juice, scallions, garlic, and black pepper. Pulse the mixture until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and pulse again to ensure everything is well mixed and smooth. Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl and stir in the Parmesan cheese and chopped artichoke hearts. If not using immediately, mixture can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- Transfer the puff pastry to a sheet of parchment paper. Roll out the puff pastry to 10 1/2 inches wide. Use a 10 1/2 inch dinner plate as a template to cut a large circle out of the puff pastry. Use a 4-inch bowl as a template and gently press into the center of the pastry circle to outline a smaller circle, but DO NOT cut all the way through the dough. Use a paring knife to cut across the smaller circle to create 8 equal triangles as shown in the picture above.
- Spoon the spinach artichoke mixture in a ring around the puff pastry, leaving an inch boarder around the outer edge. Do not overfill the pastry. Sprinkle the roasted red peppers over the top of the dip. Pick up the tip of one of the center triangles and carefully wrap it over the filling and outer edge of pastry to seal. A little water can help the pastry adhere to itself. Continue with each triangle, wrapping over the filling to create a wreath.
- Transfer the parchment paper to a cookie sheet and brush lightly with egg wash. Bake until the pastry is golden brown and puffed, about 25 minutes. Serve warm.
Notes
- Do not overfill the pastry — if you have extra filling, it can be baked in a small oven-safe dish at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes and served with pita chips
- The filling for this dish can be prepared up to 2 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Keywords: Spinach Artichoke Red Pepper Pastry Wreath
