Cheese Straws

By Foodiewife

Puff pastry is a magical and easy ingredient to create so many recipes. These cheese straws are very slightly adapted from "The Pioneer Woman" and were a big hit at our cocktail hour at home. Don't skip the cayenne, as it gave these an extra good kick. Serve them hot, and make plenty. They'll disappear in a flash!

Ingredients

• 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed in refrigerator overnight
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• 1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 teaspoon cayenne
• 3/4 parmesan, grated and divided
• 1 large egg

Preparation

Step 1

Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Lightly roll out the pastry into a 10x12-inch rectangle, then brush with the melted butter. Evenly sprinkle the cheddar, cayenne and 1/2 cup of the Parmesan over the puff pastry. Place a piece of parchment paper on top, and gently use the rolling pin to press the cheeses into the puff pastry. Cut the pastry into 12 strips. Twist each strip five times and transfer to the baking sheet. Place in the freezer for 20 minutes.

While the pastries are freezing, preheat the oven to 400°F.

Mix together the egg and 1 teaspoon water in a small bowl, brush the strips with the mixture and sprinkle over the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan. Bake until golden brown and puffed, 10 to 12 minutes.