Puff Pastry Cheese Appetizer "Palmyra"

Ingredients:

• 1 pack frozen puff pastry (defrosted)
• 1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese
• 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
• 1/4 cup finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes in oil (optional)
• 1/4 cup pesto sauce (see recipe below)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Pesto sauce:

• 1 tbsp. grated parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup walnuts
• 5 cups fresh basil leaves (tamp down firmly)
• 1/4 cup pignioli
• 3 tablespoons chopped garlic (9 cloves)
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1.5 cups olive oil

Preparation:

1. Lightly flour a cutting board and carefully unfold the puff pastry sheet. Roll the dough out slightly with a rolling pin until it forms a 24 x 29 cm rectangle. Spread half the pesto sauce on the sheet of puff pastry, then sprinkle with half the goat cheese, half the sun-dried tomatoes, and half the pine nuts. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
2. Starting with the short ends, fold each edge toward the center until it reaches the middle. Then fold each side toward the center again until the ends almost touch. Bring the sides together and press lightly. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with the second sheet of dough, using the remaining ingredients. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 45 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 205°C.
   
   Cut frozen puff pastry tubes into 0.5 cm thick slices and place them face up on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them 5 cm apart. Bake for 14 minutes, until golden brown. Serve warm.
   
   Try to cook this cheese appetizer with yeast dough.
   
   Pesto sauce:
   
   Place the walnuts, pignoli, and garlic in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment. Blend for 30 seconds. Add the basil leaves, salt, and pepper. With the processor running, slowly drizzle the olive oil through the hole in the lid until the pesto is pureed. Add the Parmesan cheese and blend for another minute. Serve, or store in the refrigerator or freezer, drizzled with a thin layer of olive oil. Yield: 4 tbsp.