Thanksgiving Cocktail Hour Made Easy

Thanksgiving is a day of indulgence, so what could be better than enjoying a cocktail hour on the big day with even more food and drink before the turkey comes out of the oven (along with a dozen different sides and multiple deserts to follow)? Here are some easy-to-make light appetizers that will help whet your appetite for the main event!

While I love Thanksgiving, I find it to be a somewhat stressful holiday when we are the hosts responsible for delivering a perfectly cooked and moist turkey along with everybody’s favorite sides and deserts as well. The pressure is on from the time I wake up until I collapse in bed that night, completely exhausted and in a tryptophan-induced stupor.

So, one thing that helps me relax during the big day is to enjoy a nice cocktail with light hors d'oeuvres a couple of hours before Thanksgiving dinner is served while watching a perennially bad NFL game featuring the hapless Detroit Lions. Puff pastry pinwheels are light and savory and even better, can be made a few days ahead of time. Here are recipes for two “pizza” pinwheels that I created – one white and one red.

The perfect wine match for these pinwheels is sparkling wine – the saltiness of the cheese, prosciutto, and pepperoni pair perfectly with the refreshing acidity of the wine. I’d suggest a lighter prosecco from Italy – here are a few of Laurie’s and my favorites at different price points:

• La Marca Prosecco ($12)

• Tesoro della Regina Prosecco ($20)

• Rebuli Prosecco Cartizze ($43)

As an alternative, you can also make a quick and easy sparkling wine cocktail using prosecco for a sweeter drink to enjoy with the pinwheels – I call this one the Pompalmousse Prosecco cocktail. Just pour 2 oz. of Pompalmousse liqueur (a grapefruit-based liqueur) into a champagne glass, followed by 5 oz. of prosecco. Finish by dropping a small sugar cube into the glass, and then drink up!

White Pizza Pinwheels (makes 12-15 pinwheels)

These easy-to-make appetizers are light and airy, and best of all, can be made 24-48 hours ahead of time and refrigerated until ready to use. Once you are ready just slice, bake, and serve for the perfect appetizer.

Ingredients

3 garlic bulbs

4 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

Pinch of kosher salt

½ sheet puff pastry, thawed in refrigerator overnight (I like Pepperidge Farm)

2 oz. thinly sliced prosciutto

½ cup shredded fontina cheese

½ cup loosely packed baby arugula

1 egg beaten

Directions

First, make the garlic paste. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Cut off top of each garlic bulb (opposite the root end of the bulb) to expose the tops of the garlic cloves. Tear off a sheet of aluminum foil, place bulbs cut side up on the foil, drizzle with 1 tbsp. of the olive oil, and top each with a pinch of kosher salt. Wrap foil around the bulbs and crimp tightly at top. Place the foil bundle on a small sheet pan and roast for one hour. Remove from the oven and let cool. Once cool, squeeze roasted garlic from each bulb into a small bowl. Slowly add the remaining 3 tbsp. of the olive oil in a steady stream, whisking it into the roasted garlic until incorporated (don’t pour too quickly or else it won’t emulsify). Continue until the mixture forms a paste and all the olive oil is fully incorporated. Add a pinch of salt and stir to combine.

Next, make the pinwheels. You'll need to work a bit quickly here so the pastry doesn't get too soft. Place the half sheet of refrigerated puff pastry on a clean work surface and spread the roasted garlic paste on the pastry, leaving a ½ inch border on one long edge of the pastry. Top with an even layer of the prosciutto, followed by the fontina cheese and the baby arugula. Brush the remaining ½ inch border with the beaten egg. Starting at the long side opposite the 1/2 inch border, start rolling up the pastry to form a tight tube. Once formed, crimp the long edges together (the egg will help them stick together). Wrap in plastic wrap (like Saran wrap), tighten edges, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours until firm (or refrigerate for up to 48 hours if making ahead).

Lastly, bake the pinwheels. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and position rack in the center of the oven. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper (this will help the pinwheels to brown and not stick to the baking sheet). Slice the pinwheel roll into ½ inch rounds and place on bakery sheet about ¾ inches apart. Bake until pastries are golden brown, about 16-18 minutes. Using a metal spatula, transfer pastries to a rack and serve warm.

Red Pizza Pinwheels (makes 12-15 pinwheels)

Ingredients

½ sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed in refrigerator overnight

2 oz. thinly sliced pepperoni

¼ cut jarred pizza sauce (any store brand will do)

¼ cup shredded mozzarella cheese

¼ cup grated parmigiana Reggiano cheese

½ tsp. dried oregano

1 egg beaten

Directions

Follow the directions above for making and baking the pinwheels, but topping the pastry with pizza sauce, pepperoni, mozzarella and parmigiana Reggiano cheeses, and oregano instead of ingredients for the white pizza pinwheels.