Cheese Straws
Source of Recipe
From "Barefoot in Paris" by Ina Garten
Recipe Introduction
"In Paris, I was lucky to be invited to dinner at the house once lived in by Louis Vuitton, which is now an amazing museum filled with his old suitcases dating back to the mid-nineteenth century. With cocktails, the hosts served only freshly baked cheese straws piled high, Lincoln Log-style, on a square platter. They're meant to stimulate your appetite for dinner, not ruin it. With frozen puff pastry from the grocery store, these cheese straws are really easy to make."
List of Ingredients
◦ 2 sheets (1 box) frozen puff pastry, defrosted overnight in the refrigerator
◦ 1 extra-large egg
◦ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
◦ 1 cup finely grated Gruyre cheese
◦ 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
◦ 1 teaspoon kosher salt
◦ Freshly ground black pepper
Recipe
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Roll out each sheet of puff pastry on a lightly floured board until it's 10 by 12 inches. Beat the egg with 1 tablespoon of water and brush the surface of the pastry. Sprinkle each sheet evenly with cup of the Parmesan, cup of the Gruyre, teaspoon of the thyme, 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 eleven or twelve strips. Twist each strip and lay on baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until lightly browned and puffed. Turn each straw and bake for another 2 minutes. Don't overbake or the cheese will burn. Cool and serve at room temperature.
Makes 22 to 24 straws
❧ Notes:
You want to work quickly because the puff pastry needs to stay cold until it's baked.
You can also brush the pastry with pesto, tapenade, or sun-dried tomato paste instead of sprinkling with the cheeses.
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