Parmesan Twists

Puff pastry is my favorite baking secret weapon. I keep a box in my freezer at all times for appetizer or dessert emergencies. This recipe is the best for a quick and easy savory treat. The ingredients are staples most of you will already have on hand and the presentation is fun and playful.

Whenever I go to the mall, I always have to stop by the Nordstrom E-bar for a coffee and a parmesan twist. The twists sit and stare at you while your coffee is being made, begging to be eaten. I cave just about every time and end up buying one, they're just too delicious! 

When I made a batch of tomato soup for dinner the other night (recipe coming), I really wanted some bread to dip in it. I started looking around the kitchen for some starchy goodness, but alas, none was to be found. That was until I opened the freezer and saw a box of puff pastry peeking through beneath the frozen pot stickers and my Nordstrom treat burst into my mind. I mulled it over in my head, thinking of the best way to get the most cheesy goodness into each bite and decided that there needed to be a middle layer of cheese, with more cheese on the outside and voilà! This recipe was born.

The twists made my soup even more delicious. I'll be using these as a Thanksgiving appetizer next week as well to go along with my Autumn Harvest Soup before the big meal. Mmmm I can't wait!

Parmesan Twists

Ingredients

1 egg

1 cup Italian cheese blend

1/2 cup grated parmesan 

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp mustard powder

1/4 tsp garlic salt

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

1 box of puff pastry, thawed

Directions

1.    Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a small bowl, whisk the egg and 1 Tbs. of water; set egg wash aside. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or aluminum foil and mist with cooking spray.

2.    In a mini prep bowl, combine parmesan, garlic powder, mustard powder, garlic salt, and cayenne; set aside.

3.    Open the *defrosted parchment, separate the two layers and set one aside. Carefully unfold and roll out one sheet of dough at a time to expand and stretch into a rectangle, about 16X12. Brush the inside of both halves with egg wash. Sprinkle one egg-washed half with the Italian cheese blend and lightly dust with half of the spice blend. Sandwich halves together, egg-washed sides facing in; press lightly to adhere. Run a rolling pin over dough to seal.

4.    With short side facing you, cut dough crosswise into 1/2 inch wide strips (approx. 24). Place strips, 1 inch apart, onto two baking sheets; twist the dough several times to create a spiral, press down and flatten the ends to adhere them to the sheet. This prevents the strips for untwisting while baking.

5.    Brush the strips with egg wash and sprinkle with remaining spice blend and grated parmesan.

6.    Bake until the cheese straws are puffed and golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove and allow cooling for 5 minutes before carefully removing from the sheet with a spatula.

*If you've forgotten to pull your puff pastry from the freezer and need to defrost it quickly, I have a tip to help. Remove the dough from the packaging, place a slightly damp paper towel over the top and place in the microwave. Microwave the pastry for 30 second increments, checking after each to see how pliable the dough is. This usually works after two increments and the dough will be defrosted, yet still cold and slightly stiff in the middle. Do not overcook as the dough will stick together. Leave the dough out on the counter while you prep the slice blend to allow it to finish defrosting. I've tried this several times and have has great success on each occasion.