Reader recipe: Za'atar and feta pinwheels

Tam West

Sunita Fernandez's pinwheel recipe won Bite magazine's reader recipe competition for afternoon tea treats. This recipe stood out for its interesting use of flavours, ease of use and because they're delightfully good to eat. This recipe was made up and photographed by Bite. The judges praised how easy the pastry was to work with and said the pinwheels could be made in advance for easy serving.

Ingredients

4 Tbsp	Za'atar, available from specialty food stores and Asian grocers (Main)
8 Tbsp	Extra virgin olive oil
2 sheets	Butter puff pastry, do not use flaky for this recipe (Main)
1	Egg, lightly beaten
100 g	Feta, lightly crumbled
2 Tbsp	Parmesan cheese, grated
½ tsp	Sumac powder, optional

Directions

1. Mix the za'atar and olive oil in a bowl and set aside.
2. Take one sheet of puff pastry (lightly thawed until it is pliable). Place on your work bench and sprinkle over about 1½ to 2 Tbsp of the za'atar mixture in a thin layer. Leave 1 cm of one end of the pastry uncovered.
3. Sprinkle ½ of the crumbled feta cheese on top of the za'atar. Brush the uncovered portion of the pastry with a little water. Roll the pastry to form a log.
4. Repeat with the second sheet of puff pastry.
5. Wrap the za'atar rolls in plastic wrap or the plastic that separates each sheet of pastry and place in the freezer for about 15-20 minutes. This allows the pastry to firm up and makes it easier to cut.
6. Heat your oven to 200C fanbake (Refer to packet instructions for temperature and cooking time).
7. Remove the rolls from the fridge and cut in ½-inch rings. (Sunita gets 18 pinwheels per sheet.)
8. Place the pinwheels on baking trays lined with baking paper. Lightly brush egg over the pinwheels.
9. Mix the sumac and parmesan together. Sprinkle a wee bit over each pinwheel and bake for 15-20 minutes.
10. Remove from the oven and cool on a cake rack. Store in an airtight container once cool.

See more of the competition finalists

• Ann's muffins
• Chicken, pine nut and basil fingers

See all competition recipes at

bite.co.nz/reader-recipes