Pepperoni Roses: Edible Bouquet Appetizer You Can Eat
Pepperoni Roses
Pepperoni Roses
Ingredients
- Cooking spray made with olive oil
- 2 sheets frozen puff pastry (from a 17.3-ounce box), thawed
- Plain flour, for dusting
- 2/3 cup rich, smooth pizza sauce (canned is ideal)
- 1 cup shredded low-moisture mozzarella
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
- 72 slices pepperoni
- Fresh basil sprigs, for garnish
Instructions
Step 1
First, set your oven to 350 degrees F and slide one rack into the upper third of the oven and another into the lower third — this setup helps your pepperoni roses cook evenly from top to bottom. While the oven heats up, grab two 12-cup muffin pans and give them a light coating of olive oil spray so nothing sticks later. You want just enough to make the surface slick, not pooling in the bottom of the cups.
Step 2
Grab one sheet of puff pastry and place it on a lightly floured counter. Roll it out gently with a rolling pin until it measures about 9 by 12 inches — you're just giving it a little stretch, not thinning it out. Turn the rectangle so the long side runs horizontally in front of you, then use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to slice it into six even strips, each about 2 inches wide. Don't move the strips; keeping them in place helps everything stay neat. Brush the entire surface with about 1/3 cup of pizza sauce, then scatter 1/2 cup of shredded mozzarella and 1/4 cup of grated Parmesan evenly over the top.
Step 3
Grab one strip of pastry and lay it flat on your work surface. Arrange 6 slices of pepperoni in a row down the center, overlapping each slice by about half so they look like little shingles on a roof. You want roughly half of each pepperoni slice hanging off one long edge of the pastry, and keep about an inch of bare pastry clear at both short ends. Now roll the strip up tightly from the pepperoni-covered long edge toward the bare edge, then pinch the seam closed so it doesn't unravel. Flip the roll so the pepperoni spirals face upward, and press the bottom gently with your palm to flatten it just enough that it will stand upright on its own. Nestle each rose into an outer cup of your prepared muffin tin, pepperoni side up, spacing them around the rim and leaving the center cups empty. Keep going with the rest of the strips, then repeat the whole process with your second sheet of pastry, sauce, and cheeses until all the tins are filled.
Step 4
Slide the pans into a 375°F oven and bake until your pepperoni roses are deep golden brown and crisp all over, about 35 to 37 minutes total. Halfway through, swap the pans from top rack to bottom and rotate them front to back so they brown evenly. When they're done, pull them out and let them sit on the pans for just 2 to 3 minutes — they'll be too hot to handle straight from the oven. Run a small offset spatula underneath each rose and transfer them to a wire rack to cool for a few more minutes. Arrange them warm on a round platter, nestled among fresh basil sprigs so they look like a little bouquet.
Nutrition Information
My Tip
When you roll up each pastry strip, keep the pepperoni slightly exposed on one side—that's what creates those gorgeous rose petals that crisp up beautifully in the oven.
Leftovers
These puff pastry roses keep beautifully in the fridge for up to 3 days in a shallow container with the lid slightly ajar—this lets a little air circulate so the bottoms stay crisp instead of getting soggy. To reheat, pop them on a baking sheet at 375°F for about 8 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and the petals are crisp again.
Make It Your Own
Swap the pepperoni for thinly sliced soppressata and add a smear of whipped ricotta mixed with lemon zest between the layers — you'll get a creamy, slightly tangy bite that still holds its shape when you roll everything up.