A savory alternative to cinnamon twists is cheese straws. The preparation and process is much the same, but instead of cinnamon and sugar, try gruyere, parmesan, and thyme!
cheese straws
Recipe from Ina Garten’s Barefoot in Paris.
PREP TIME: 10 minutes, plus time for defrosting
COOK TIME: 12 minutes
YIELD: 24 cheese straws
WHAT TO GRAB:
2 sheets (1 box) frozen puff pastry, defrosted overnight (I like Pepperidge Farm)
Flour, for dusting
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 cup freshly grated Gruyère
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, minced
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 egg
HOW YOU DO IT:
1. Defrost the puff pastry. The night before place the puff pastry in the refrigerator. For ready puff pastry the day of, simply leave the puff pastry, wrapped in plastic wrap, at room temperature for about 20 to 30 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
3. Roll out each sheet of puff pastry on a lightly floured board until it is about 10- by 12-inches. Beat the egg with 1 tablespoon of water and brush the surface of the pastry. Sprinkle each sheet evenly with 1/4 cup of the Parmesan, 1/2 cup of the Gruyère, 1/2 teaspoon of the thyme, 1/2 teaspoon of Kosher salt, and some pepper.
4. Use the rolling pin to lightly press the flavorings into the puff pastry. Cut each sheet crosswise with a floured knife or pizza wheel into 11 or 12 strips. Twist each strip several times, and then lay on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
5. Bake for about 1o minutes to 12 minutes, or until lightly browned and puffed. Don’t over-bake or the cheese will burn. Cool and serve at room temperature!
Luks
wow! I love to try this but I don’t have an oven. Will an oven toaster do?
Thanks!
Charles
I guess an oven toaster would work in a pinch, but it does seem like that would be slow because you couldn’t cook too many straws at a time.