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- Cheese Straws From Puff Pastry
Cheese Straws From Puff Pastry
Ingredients
Step by step process
Preparing the pastry
- 1
Cheese straws bake from a single sheet, so preheat the oven to 200 C and line a baking tray with parchment paper. Take the chilled puff pastry out of the fridge a few minutes ahead so it unrolls easily, then lay it on the paper along with the backing sheet it came rolled in.
TIP:Roll carefully in smooth, continuous movements from the full side toward the edge. Parchment paper is essential, it protects the butter layers. A key technique for strudels, rolls, and other rolled doughs.
- 2
Crack the egg into a bowl and beat it with a fork into a smooth wash. Brush it over the whole surface of the pastry using a pastry brush or the back of a spoon. Do not skimp on the edges, that is where the cheese grips best.
TIP:Beat the egg with a little water and brush the dough surface evenly with a pastry brush before baking. Be careful not to let the mixture reach the edges, as this will give a shiny, golden surface.
- 3
Grate the hard cheese finely and scatter it evenly over the brushed sheet. Sprinkle on the caraway and season lightly with salt. Press the cheese down gently with your palm so it sinks into the egg and does not fall off while baking.
Cutting and baking
- 4
Cut the sheet into strips about 1.5 cm wide with a sharp knife or a pastry wheel. Grab each strip by both ends and twist it two or three times into a spiral. Place the twisted straws straight onto the prepared tray and leave a little space between them, as they spread while baking.
- 5
Slide the tray into the hot oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the straws puff up golden and the cheese on top turns crisp. Keep an eye on them from the tenth minute, as thin pastry browns fast.
- 6
Let the finished straws firm up on the tray for a few minutes, then move them to a wire rack. They taste best warm, while the pastry is still delicate and the cheese is fragrant. Stack them in a glass and serve with drinks or on a movie night.
More tips:
Instead of a mild cheese, reach for a more mature Edam or Gouda, as the stronger flavor really shows in the pastry.
If you do not like caraway, leave it out and top the straws with sesame or poppy seeds instead.
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Topic: Czech Cuisine
