Thaw the pastry dough. Put the pastry dough in the fridge for about 3 hours, up to overnight to thaw.
Roll out the puff pastry. Dust your counter with a little bit of flour. Roll the thawed puff pastry into a 10 x 14-inch rectangle.
Add the filling. Start by spreading a thin layer of mustard onto the rolled-out dough. Then, add a layer of ham slices and then a layer of grated cheese. Sprinkle with any fresh herbs.
Roll. Roll the dough into a pinwheel from the long end, jelly roll style. For a palmier shape, roll each end to the center.
Slice the pinwheels. Use a sharp knife to slice the roll into 1/2–inch thick slices. Place each cut pinwheel onto a sheet pan in a single layer. Place the baking sheets back into the fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes while you preheat the oven.
When you're ready to bake. Preheat the oven to 425℉/218℃. Bake for 18 minutes—until the pinwheels are puffed and a rich golden brown. Do not underbake.
Garnish. Sprinkle with freshly minced parsley.
RECIPE TIPS
Recipe Variations
Try other kinds of dough: Ham and cheese pinwheels can also be made with crescent dough or even pizza dough. You know, the kind in the can.
Sausage pinwheels: Brown your favorite ground sausage and sprinkle it on the rolled-out dough.
Pizza pinwheels: Add a layer of pizza sauce, sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese, and top with pepperoni.
Italian pinwheels: Prosciutto, salami, provolone cheese, and fresh basil.
Pesto pinwheels: Chicken, pesto, and mozzarella.
Olive pinwheels: Olive tapenade.
Goat cheese and fig jam pinwheels: Fig jam with goat cheese and bacon.
Caramelized Onion pinwheels: Caramelize the onions and sprinkle with crispy bacon and thinly sliced granny smith apples.
You can assemble the scrolled logs of filled pastry in advance. They will keep in the refrigerator for several hours. Do not slice them until you are ready to bake them.