Entertaining Side

'80s cheese straws

Name: Cheese straws recipe
Yield: 24
Ingredients: 2 frozen puff pastry sheets, just thawed; 1 egg, lightly beaten; 1 tsp smoked paprika; 100g Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated; 60g Cypriot halloumi or haloumi, finely grated; 50g unsalted butter, melted; 1 tsp chilli oil; 1/2 bunch chives, finely sliced

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by Ellie and Sam Studd

Nov 17, 2023

“A twizzle of puffed pastry with cheese – a totally primo party starter, circa 1985! These take two seconds to make. We mix and match our cheese toppings for this recipe – it’s great for using up those offcuts that are skulking at the back of the fridge.” – Ellie and Sam Studd

2 frozen puff pastry sheets, just thawed
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp smoked paprika
100g Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated
60g Cypriot halloumi or haloumi, finely grated

Chilli butter

50g unsalted butter, melted
1 tsp chilli oil
1/2 bunch chives, finely sliced

Method

1.

Preheat oven to 200°C/180°C fan-forced. Line a large baking tray with baking paper. Brush pastry sheets with some of the beaten egg and sprinkle over the paprika. Combine the cheeses and sprinkle over the top, then use a rolling pin to roll over the cheese and press it into the pastry.
2.

Fold the pastry sheets in half and roll again with the rolling pin to firmly enclose the cheese layer. Cut the pastry sheets into 2cm-wide strips, then twist each strip and place on the prepared tray. Brush with the remaining beaten egg, then sprinkle with sea salt flakes and bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown.
3.

Meanwhile, to make the chilli butter, combine the butter, chilli oil and chives in a bowl. Remove cheese straws from the oven, brush with some of the chilli butter and serve warm, with remaining chilli butter alongside.