Want to give people the impression that you’re super awesome in the kitchen? Make a batch of these and bring them to a party! I guarantee the lucky recipients of these Herbed Cheese Straws will assume you’ve spent hours making them. You might be the talk of the party, watch out!
Want the truth? It’s pretty shameful how easy these straws are to whip up. Don’t feel bad about the praise.
You totally deserve it!
Afraid of puff pastry & dough? Don’t be a wuss! This is recipe is totally attainable. You can do this. I have faith in you. The power of puff pastry is ridiculous, and once you’ve conquered your timid frozen puff pastry dough ways, you are gonna find any excuse to make something ANYTHING with a box of puff pastry. I’m thinking these would be equally enjoyable if I substituted all the savory bits with cinnamon, sugar and a smear of yummy pumpkin butter!
But that’s an entirely different post….. Stay tuned.
And we’re off!
So you start with your cheese grating. It’s good to do it on the finer side.
Chop up your herbs, nice and fine.
Put all your topping ingredients aside. Beat an egg with some water and a few dashes of hot sauce.
Roll out your thawed puff pastry. Shape it into a long rectangle- make sure your board is floured.
Brush the top of the pastry rectangle with your egg wash. Top with herbs, cheddar, salt & pepper.
Now take a rolling pin and flatten the toppings into the puff pastry.
With a pizza cutter, cut long strips out of the dough.
Keep going.
Twist each strip up and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Ready? Now bake!
After the first 12 minutes, you’ll need to flip them. You should be working on your second batch right now.
Prepare to salivate. This is just after flip. They go back in the oven for another 5 minutes or so.
And wow!! Look at your loot!
One container for you, and one for me. Sweet deal.
Herbed Cheese Straws
(recipe adapted from Barefoot Contessa in Paris )
Makes about 30+ cheese straws
- 2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed
- Flour, for dusting
- 1 extra-large egg
- 1 tablespoon water
- hot sauce
- 1 cup extra sharp cheddar cheese, grated (make it a heaping cup!)
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, minced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Roll out each sheet of puff pastry on a lightly floured board until it is 10- by 12-inches. Beat the egg with 1 tablespoon of water and a few dashes of hot sauce. Now brush the surface of the pastry. Sprinkle each sheet evenly with 1/2 cup of the cheese, 1/2 tablespoon each of the thyme & rosemary, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and some pepper. With the rolling pin, lightly press the flavorings into the puff pastry. Cut each sheet crosswise with a floured knife or pizza wheel into strips about 1/2 inch wide. Twist each strip and lay on baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until lightly browned and puffed. Turn each straw and bake for another 2 minutes. Cool and serve at room temperature.
Shutterbean notes:
-After the first flip, I baked the straws for a good 5 minutes to ensure they were thoroughly browned!
