Rosemary Cheese Twists

The Parmesan and herb mixture can be made and refrigerated a few hours before assembling and baking the cheese twists if stored tightly covered in the refrigerator.

We wanted substantial, hefty cheese twists to serve with a soup meal at Cafe Drake HRV so we cut the puff pastry dough in to larger pieces. To make smaller pastries, simply slice the thawed dough in to thinner strips.

A heady mixture of garlic, cheese and herbs is spread between two strips of pastry dough which are then sandwiched together.

The puffed cheese twists are almost irresistible warm from the oven but those willpower will find them delectable even at room temperature.

First things first. Your dough will probably be frozen so you'll need to let it thaw at room temperature for 30-40 minutes. Follow the thawing instructions on the product box carefully.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. and line a large baking sheet with either a Silpat (as seen above) or two layers of parchment paper.

In a small bowl mix together 1/3 cup grated Parmesan, 2 T. olive oil, 2 cloves of minced garlic, 1/2 t. dried oregano, 1 t. crushed dried rosemary leaves, 1/2 t. salt and some red chile flakes to taste. In another small bowl beat 1 egg and set both bowls aside.

Now, sprinkle some all-purpose flour on a clean work surface and unfold 1 sheet of thawed puff pastry dough (sold two sheets per box, frozen).

Sprinkle the pastry lightly with flour and using a rolling pin, roll into a 14 by 10-inch rectangle. Brush the top of the pastry with a beaten egg. Cut in 1/2 lengthwise to form 2 (7 by 10-inch) rectangles. Spread the herb-cheese mixture with the back of a spoon evenly across 1 rectangle. Lay the second rectangle across the coated piece, egg side-down. With the rolling pin lightly roll the 2 sheets together to seal. 

With a large knife cut crosswise into strips, about 1 inch wide each. One at a time, grab the ends of each strip and twist in opposite directions to form a spiral. Transfer to the prepared baking sheets. Bake until light golden brown, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool on baking sheets until cool enough to handle. 

Serve either warm or at room temperature with soups, salads or pre-dinner cocktails.