Savoury Hors d’oeuvres

Sesame Cheese Straws

Makes 12-16 2-bite straws

Ingredients

  • 125 g puff pastry dough OR
  • 1/2 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed in the fridge
  • 1 egg whisked with 2 Tbsp water, for brushing
  • 4 Tbsp finely grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 Tbsp sesame seeds

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 °F and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
  2. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the puff pastry to an 8-inch square. Brush the
  3. entire surface with eggwash and sprinkle it with the Parmesan and sesame seeds. Fold
  4. the pastry in half and then cut strips about ½-inch wide. Twist these a few times and
  5. place an inch apart on the prepared baking tray. Chill the straws for 10 minutes.
  6. 3. Bake the straws for about 20 minutes, until a rich golden brown (the twists may
  7. unwind a little as they bake, but they will still look nice when finished).
  8. The straws will keep in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Pesto Palmiers

Makes about 16 two-bite palmiers

Ingredients

  • 125 g puff pastry dough OR
  • 1/2 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed in the fridge
  • 2 Tbsp pesto

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 °F and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
  2. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the puff pastry to an 8-inch square. Spread the
  3. pesto over the entire surface of the pastry. Roll the pastry up from opposing sides, so that
  4. the spirals meet in the middle. Wrap and chill the pastry for 20 minutes (or this can be
  5. prepared a day ahead and chilled.
  6. 3. Slice the pastry into palmiers that are just over ¼-inch thick and place them on the
  7. prepared baking tray leaving 1 ½-inches between them. Bake for 10 minutes, then flip
  8. the palmiers over and continue to bake for about another 10 minutes, until a rich golden
  9. brown.
  10. The palmiers will keep in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Tapenande Pockets

Makes 12 pockets

Ingredients

  • 125 g puff pastry dough OR
  • 1/2 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed in the fridge
  • 2 Tbsp olive tapenade
  • 1 egg whisked with 2 Tbsp water, for brushing

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 °F and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
  2. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the puff pastry to an 8-inch square. Cut 12
  3. circles using a 2 ½-inch cookie cutter and place these on the prepared baking tray. Brush
  4. the outside edges of the pastry with the eggwash. Spoon a little tapenade into the centre
  5. of each circle. Fold each circle of pastry in half and gently press the edges together.
  6. Brush the tops of the pockets with eggwash and chill for 10 minutes.
  7. 3. Bake the pockets for about 20 minutes, until a rich golden brown.
  8. The pockets will keep in an airtight container for up to 2 days.