Cheese Straws

Last month, I catered a dinner party for which my client and I were trying to think of simple appetizers. She is a huge fan of Ina Garten, and when she mentioned bread sticks, I knew we had to try this recipe out of Ina’s Barefoot In Paris cookbook.

I just happened to have some puff pastry in my freezer that I could use, and we were just a day away from the event, so time was of the essence. I pulled the dough from the freezer and headed off to the store. Because it was a warm day, the frozen dough thawed rather quickly. The rest of the ingredients take little time to assemble, especially if you have fresh thyme in your garden.

These are great to have on hand for a dinner party or just around the house for snacks.

Cheese Straws
Makes 22 to 24 straws
2 sheets (1 box) frozen puff pastry (such as Pepperidge Farm), defrosted overnight in the refrigerator
Flour, for dusting
1 extra-large egg
1 tablespoon water
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 cup finely grated Gruyère cheese
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat 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 brush the surface of the pastry.

Sprinkle each sheet evenly with ¼ cup of the Parmesan, 1⁄2 cup of the Gruyère, ½ teaspoon of the thyme, ½ 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 11 or 12 strips.

Twist each strip, and lay them side by side 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. Don’t over bake or the cheese will burn. Cool and serve at room temperature.