Garlic Herb Palmiers

By dhoffmanlatter

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 to 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh sage
• 1/2 teaspoon Spanish smoked paprika (pimenton)
• 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Flour, for dusting
• 14 ounces frozen all-butter puff pastry, defrosted, preferably Dufour brand (see headnote)
• 3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 3 tablespoons finely grated Comté cheese or Gruyère cheese
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten

Preparation

Step 1

Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat to 375 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Combine the oil and garlic (to taste) in a small saucepan over low heat; cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring often, until the garlic is soft and tender. Stir in the rosemary, thyme and sage; cook for 1 minute more, then let cool completely. Stir in the smoked paprika, salt and pepper.

Lightly dust a clean work surface with flour. Roll out the puff pastry there, into a rectangle about 1/4 inch thick, with one of the long sides parallel to the work surface's edge. Spread the cooled garlic mixture evenly over the rolled-out pastry, then scatter the Parm and Comte or Gruyere cheeses evenly over the surface.

Fold both long sides in toward the center so their edges meet in the middle but do not overlap. Brush any exposed puff pastry with some of the beaten egg, then roll each long side toward each other to meet in the center. Gently squeeze all along the length of the double-roll log so they stick to each other. Refrigerate for about 20 minutes, or until slightly firm.Use a sharp knife to cut the refrigerated double-roll log crosswise into 32 to 35 slices of equal size, laying them about 1 1/2 inches apart on the baking sheets as you work. (You may have some end scraps, which you can bake and eat as cook's rewards.) Refrigerate for 15 to 20 minutes, until firm.

Brush the tops of the palmiers with the remaining beaten egg. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the pans from front to back and top to bottom halfway through, until golden brown and puffed.

Cool completely. Serve at room temperature.