Pear and Walnut Cheese Rolls

Spinach, cream cheese, walnuts and pears are rolled up and sliced for this delicious, make-ahead appetizer. I love this as a lunch time sandwich too since it holds well in a lunch sack. This recipe calls for lahvosh which can be hard to find; just substitute a good quality flour tortilla instead and ignore the instructions for preparing the dried lahvosh.

• Ready In: 4 hrs 25 mins
• Serves: 8
• Yields: 20 spirals

Ingredients

• 1 (15 inch)  soft cracker bread (lahvosh)
• 6  cups fresh spinach leaves
• 1  medium pear
• 2  tablespoons butter
• 1⁄3 cup green onion, minced
• 1⁄3 cup walnuts, toasted and finely chopped
• 1 (8 ounce) container cream cheese with chives
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

1. Run cold water and hold the cracker bread under it until thoroughly wet.
2. Place the bread between wet, clean kitchen towels and let stand about 45 minutes or until soft enough to fold without breaking.
3. Finely chop the 6 cups of spinach leaves and set aside.
4. Peel, core and finely chop the pear.
5. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat and add spinach, pear and green onions.
6. Cook and stir until spinach is wilted and pear is tender. Stir in nuts, then remove from skillet and let cool.
7. In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, salt and pepper.
8. Spread the cheese onto the cracker bread or flour tortilla.
9. Carefully spread spinach mixture onto cream cheese.
10. Roll up the lahvosh or tortilla into a tight spiral, then wrap in plastic wrap.
11. Chill for 4 hours or up to 24 hours.
12. To serve, cut the roll into 1/2 inch thick slices, or just cut in half for two lunch sandwiches.