Aromatic and easy to make puff pastry sticks or straws with Parmesan, Nigella or sesame seeds and dried herbs.
The second recipe from the Valentine’s Day Breakfast Series on Where Is My Spoon. After yesterday’s Easy Overnight Refrigerator Breakfast Rolls Recipe, I will continue today with another super easy yet impressive recipe for Easy Puff Pastry Sticks with Parmesan and Seeds.
I make nibbles or party food with puff pastry quite often, things like these Puff Pastry Nibbles with Homemade Mint Pistachio Pesto or Crispy Asparagus in Puff Pastry with Homemade Lemon Mayonnaise. I feel that puff pastry is very suitable when making something to take to a party or to make when guests are coming, I don’t normally use it for a regular family dinner. Well, unless it is something like this delicious and comforting English Chicken and Ham Pie.
But this time I made these sticks all for us. Just like the Easy Ham and Cheese Puff Pastry Croissants with Sesame Seeds from last week, which were part of the first batch of Valentine’s Day breakfast recipes.
I actually meant to bring some of these puff pastry straws to my friend after I was finished with the photo session, I thought we have so many breakfast things to eat for lunch, that we could not possible finish off all those sticks.
But I was wrong, when the kids came from school and kindergarten and were served breakfast instead of lunch, a breakfast including the Overnight Breakfast Rolls, lemon jelly and avocado spread (which they would not touch), they definitely went for the Easy Puff Pastry Sticks with Parmesan and Seeds. I had to rescue the last 3 or 4 straws so that my husband could also have some in the evening.
Notes on the Easy Puff Pastry Sticks with Parmesan and Seeds
I used ready-rolled refrigerated puff pastry, but you can definitely make your own puff pastry if you wish or use frozen puff pastry. If you use the frozen variety, defrost it and roll it according to the packet’s instructions.
The recipe is quite easy to vary. I used tomato paste, oregano and Parmesan, which give these Easy Puff Pastry Sticks with Parmesan and Seeds an Italian touch, but you could also use other dried herbs (I used Za’atar once) or spices and other kinds of cheese instead.
My daughter also had a lovely idea while we were eating these sticks and she told me that next time I should make them with pesto. 🙂 She loves her pesto dearly, she eats it not only with pasta, but in pancakes, on flatbread with cream cheese and red onions or on plain bread with Gouda or Camembert.
The only thing that needs mentioning actually is the way you have to twist the sticks. I did not really get it the first time, but after ruining one stick, I managed.
After you top the pastry with the other ingredients, cut the pastry into long stripes. The stripes should be approximately 2 cm/ 0.8 inches.
Fold one half of the stripes, lengthwise, over the other half. Start twisting the sticks on one side and keep twisting until you have reached the middle of the stick. Then leave that side alone and start twisting the other side but in the opposite direction, until you have reached the middle of the stick again. So, if you started twisting towards your body on the first side, twist away from your body on the second side.
This way you will have a perfectly twisted stick. If you start on one side and try to continue like that until you reach the end of the stick, it will just not work, the stick will unfold and the stick will look messy.
When you place the Easy Puff Pastry Sticks with Parmesan and Seeds on the baking tray make sure to press both ends well to prevent the sticks from unfolding.
And check the puff pastry’s packet’s instructions regarding the baking times, mine needed about 12-13 until they were cooked through and golden.
Easy Puff Pastry Sticks with Parmesan and Seeds
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Ingredients
- 1 packet refrigerated ready-rolled puff pastry (of ca 40x23 cm/16x9 inches) (See note)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 50 g/ 1.8 oz/ ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan
- oregano or other dried herbs
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon milk
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius/ 360 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
Unroll the puff pastry on the working surface. Spread the tomato paste evenly all over the pastry. Sprinkle the pastry with the freshly grated Parmesan and with dried herbs.
Using a pizza cutter or a sharp knife cut the pastry lengthwise into 2 cm/ 0.8 inches wide stripes.
Fold one half of the stripes, lengthwise, over the other half. Start twisting the sticks on one side and keep twisting until you have reached the middle of the stick. Then leave that side alone and start twisting the other side but in the opposite direction, until you have reached the middle of the stick again. So, if you started twisting towards your body on the first side, twist away from your body on the second side.
This way you will have a perfectly twisted stick. If you start on one side and try to continue like that until you reach the end of the stick, it will just not work, the stick will unfold and the stick will look messy.
When you place the Easy Puff Pastry Sticks with Parmesan and Seeds on the baking tray make sure to press both ends well to prevent the sticks from unfolding.
Place the twists on the prepared baking tray.
In a small bowl mix together the egg yolk and the milk. Brush the sticks with this mixture. Sprinkle with Nigella or sesame seeds.
Bake the puff pastry sticks for about 12 minutes or until cooked through and golden brown. Regard the packet’s instructions concerning the baking times as well.
Transfer to wire racks to cool.
Notes
If using frozen puff pastry, defrost, roll and bake according to the packet's instructions.
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3 comments
They look great. I might bake a batch for Valentine’s Day, if I have time to go and buy puff pastry. I’m sure my husband would love them.
What a fun series and I love everything to do with a good breakfast! What a wonderful breakfast arrangement…surely a huge treat for anyone for Valentine’s Day (which I adore!). Great idea to get fancy and explore all the ways to use puff pastry. It’s so versatile and always amazing. Thanks for the inspiration!
Crackers made with puff pastry? I have been waiting for this recipe! Thank you! I can’t wait to make it. Have everything but the pasty but that can be solved pretty quickly. 🙂