Pastry: Parmesan Pastry Twists

If you're having soup or salad, these cheesy pastries are a delightful and light accompaniment. They're also a great after school snack and are easy to pack for picnics. These are made with puff pastry, which you can make yourself or you can buy frozen at your local grocery store. Either way will work.


Ingredients


1 recipe for Easy Puff Pastry
¼ cup parmesan cheese
¼ tsp garlic powder
¾ tsp basil leaves, dried
1 egg, slightly beaten


Preparation


Heat oven to 425°F. In a small bowl, combine parmesan, garlic powder, and basil. Roll out the puff pastry dough on a floured surface until you have a 10x14-inch rectangle. Square up the corners as best you can.


Brush the dough with the egg, covering the surface completely. Don't cover the very edges. If you cover the edges (or parts where you've cut the dough) it may not puff correctly. So cover the surface fully, but don't cover the little edges. Sprinkle with the cheese mixture.


Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut the dough so you have 2 5x14-inch rectangles. Cut each rectangle into 28 strips that are ½-inch wide. You can go a little wider if you like, but you'll get fewer strips.


Twist each strip 3 or 4 times and place on prepared cookie sheets. Bake for 15 minutes, until golden brown. Cool on wire racks, then store in an airtight container for up to a week. Or just eat them. That's what we do.


This recipe makes 56 strips or less, depending on how wide you cut them.