Holiday Pinwheels

These are pretty special. You can use them as an appetizer, but they're also substantial enough to be part of a main course. This recipe makes 27 pinwheels.

3- 9 inch square puff pastry sheets

1 cup lentils

1 medium-sized yam, peeled and cubed

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 medium sized shallots, diced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts

1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary

2 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese (optional)

Defrost the puff pastry according to the package instructions. While it's thawing, cover the lentils with an inch or two of water, bring them to a boil, then lower the heat and cook them on a medium low flame for 30-40 minutes, until they're tender.

Steam the chopped yam for about 10 minutes, until it's very soft. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a small saucepan, then add the garlic, shallots, and salt. Cook them on medium-low heat for about 5 minutes, until the shallots are tender. Add the walnuts and rosemary and cook for a few minutes longer.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. When the lentils are ready, drain them and add them to this mixture, along with the blue cheese and steamed yam. Mix it well to form a fairly smooth paste.

When the puff pastry is thawed, spread a third of this mixture in a thin layer over the surface of one sheet. Roll it as tightly as you can without squeezing the mixture out of the sides. Cut the roll in one-inch sliced, then arrange them on a cookie sheet with the sliced end facing up. Repeat with the remaining puff pastry sheets. Flatten each of the pinwheels a bit with your hand, then bake them for 10-15 minutes, until they just start to brown.