Cheese Puff Pastry Twists

Super quick cheese puff pastry twists or straws with Parmesan, Nigella or sesame seeds and dried herbs, the perfect appetizer for any kind of gathering.

EASY CHEESE STRAWS

If you like puff pastry, you will love these simple puff pastry twists. With just a few ingredients, you can create pretty looking and great tasting appetizers for your next party.

These Parmesan puff pastry straws are crunchy, cheesy, buttery and pretty addictive.

I make nibbles or party food with puff pastry quite often, things like these puff pastry nibbles with pesto or asparagus in puff pastry with mayonnaise.

Puff pastry is very convenient for guests, for any kind of party or gathering. Or for a regular family dinner for once in a while, something like this delicious chicken and ham pie.

INGREDIENTS

Puff pastry:

• 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 and roll it according to the packet’s instructions.
• If the size or quantity of your puff pastry packet is different than mine, it doesn’t matter. Adjust the amounts of the other needed ingredients accordingly.
• The egg wash will be enough, no matter how many straws you make, so don’t increase that.

Parmesan:

• Use good quality Parmesan or Grana Padano, the kind that comes in one piece.
• Never use already grated hard cheese, it’s bad!!!! And grating the cheese yourself takes only seconds.

HOW TO TWIST THE CHEESE STRAWS?

This is the big question when it comes to these cheese straws. How to twist them properly? 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 strips. The stripes should be approximately 2 cm/ 0.8 inches wide.
• 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. That’s important: only twist until you reach the middle!
• 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 cheese puff pastry twists on the baking tray make sure to press both ends well to prevent the sticks from unfolding.

Bake the cheese straws:

• Check the puff pastry’s packet’s instructions regarding the baking times, mine needed about 12-13 until they were cooked through and golden.
• Let the straws cool on a wire rack and serve as soon as possible.

OTHER TOPPING IDEAS?

This recipe for cheese straws is quite easy to change.

• I used tomato paste, oregano, and Parmesan, which give these cheese puff pastry straws an Italian touch.
• You could also use other dried herbs, for instance: Herbes de Provence (French touch), Za’atar (Middle Eastern touch), different spices or spice mixtures like chili, taco or Cajun seasoning.
• Other cheese sorts: Gouda, Cheddar or stronger kinds of cheese, like the German Bergkäse, which is hard, melts well and has a very strong smell and taste. Love it!
• 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.

MORE PUFF PASTRY?

FRENCH COOKIES PALMIERS – Only three ingredients and less than half an hour until they’re ready to eat.

PUFF PASTRY HAM AND CHEESE – Super easy and quick recipe for ham and cheese croissants.

JAM PUFF PASTRY CROISSANTS – Two main ingredients and 30 minutes of your time and there you have it: crispy, sweet and delicious puff pastry croissants with rose petal jam filling.

APPLE PUFF PASTRY ROLLS – Apple puff pastry rolls with a warming apple cinnamon filling, you can have these treats ready to serve within an hour. 

BERRY PUFF PASTRY CAKE – A simple cake recipe with puff pastry and lots of berries, this pastry cake looks impressive, but is so easy to make. 

PIN IT FOR LATER!

Cheese Puff Pastry Twists

Yield: 10-12

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes

Total Time: 32 minutes

Super quick cheese puff pastry twists or straws with Parmesan, Nigella or sesame seeds and dried herbs, the perfect appetizer for any kind of gathering.

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Ingredients

• 1 packet refrigerated ready-rolled puff pastry (of ca 40x23 cm/16x9 inches, about 275 g/ 9.7 oz)) (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

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius/ 360 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
2. 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.
3. Using a pizza cutter or a sharp knife cut the pastry into strips that are as long as the short side of the rolled pastry and about 2 cm/ 0.8 inches wide.
4. Fold one-half of the stripes, lengthwise, over the other half.
5. Start twisting the sticks on one side and keep twisting until you have reached the middle of the stick.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. Place the cheese straws on the baking tray and press both ends well to prevent the sticks from unfolding.
9. In a small bowl mix together the egg yolk and the milk. Brush the sticks with this mixture. Sprinkle with Nigella or sesame seeds.
10. 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.
11. Transfer to wire racks to cool.
    

Notes

If using frozen puff pastry, defrost, roll and bake according to the packet's instructions.
If the size or quantity of your puff pastry packet is different than mine, it doesn't matter. Adjust the amounts of the other needed ingredients accordingly. The egg wash will be enough for several batches, so don't increase that.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 153Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 19mgSodium: 136mgCarbohydrates: 12gFiber: 0gSugar: 1gProtein: 3g

Nutrition information isn’t always accurate.