Who can resist buttery, flaky breadsticks made of puff pastry? Not me! And you thought puff pastry was only for tarts and pies.
If you can use a rolling pin, mix a few spices together, sprinkle some cheese, and twist strips of dough together, you will love this recipe for Spicy Cheese Breadsticks by Tasty Kitchen member Heather Christo.
I have a feeling most of you have some if not all of these ingredients in your kitchen: puff pastry, flour, shredded cheddar cheese, fennel, cayenne pepper, poppy seeds, and kosher salt.
Heather’s blend of spices is what makes these breadsticks yummy!
First you will need to generously flour a clean surface for rolling dough. Unfold the puff pastry and roll it as thin as you can. Make sure to retain the square shape as closely as possible. Periodically check to make sure the dough is not sticking to the surface by adding more flour when necessary.
Look at this beautiful sheet of buttery goodness!
Add all your spices to a small bowl.
Give the spices a quick stir. This will make it easier for you to sprinkle and spread on the puff pastry.
Evenly sprinkle the spices over the puff pastry. Use your hand to make sure you get it as even as possible from edge to edge.
Using a rolling pin, roll over the spice so they embed themselves into the puff pastry. This is a critical step in making sure the spices remain on the puff pastry without rubbing off.
Similar to a previous step, sprinkle the spiced puff pastry evenly with the cheese, edge to edge, using your hands if necessary. Using a rolling pin, roll over the spiced puff pastry to embed the shreds of cheese into the pastry.
Cut the puff pastry into 8 even strips. You can use a pizza cutter or a knife. I like to make one cut down the middle of the pastry, then two more cuts down the center of each half, and then one last cut to halve each strip so I have 8 perfectly even strips.
With both hands on each end of a strip, gently begin to twist each strip until it will not twist any further. Do this with all eight pieces.
Carefully transfer the breadsticks to baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Bake the breadsticks in a preheated oven for 15 minutes. You’ll know they’re done when they look nice and golden brown with cheese oozing out of them.
Allow the breadsticks to slightly cool before serving them. Heather suggests serving them vertically by placing them in a tall cup and fanning them out. They are almost too beautiful to eat!
Thanks so much Heather, our family loves your breadsticks!
For more great recipes and home decorating or entertaining advice, be sure to check out her blog, Heather Christo Cooks.
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Description
Flaky, hot and buttery bread sticks with little bits of melting cheese.
Ingredients
- 1 Sheet Puff Pastry (A Box Typically Contains 2 Sheets)
- 1 Tablespoon Sesame Seeds
- 1 Tablespoon Poppy Seeds
- 1 teaspoon Fennel Seeds
- 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- ¼ teaspoons Cayenne Pepper
- ½ cups Finely Shredded Cheddar Cheese
- Flour, For Rolling Out Dough
Preparation Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Prepare a sheetpan with parchment or a Silpat.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the sheet of puff pastry until it is quite thin.
In a small bowl, mix together all of the seeds and spices. Sprinkle them over the dough. Using a rolling pin, roll them into the dough.
Sprinkle the cheese over the dough. Roll the cheese into the dough.
Slice the dough into 8 even strips. Twist from both ends of each dough strip so that the dough spirals into a breadstick. Lay them on the lined sheetpan.
Bake the breadsticks for 15 minutes until golden. Let cool for a moment then transfer to a tall glass and fan out to serve.
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Alice Currah is the force behind Sweet Savory Life and Everyday Alice. She and her husband Rob are the proud parents of three children: Abbi, Mimi, and Elli. Alice is the winner of Saveur’s Cover Contest and is on the Forbes.com list of Eight of The Very Best Food Bloggers. She’s also a weekly writer for PBS Parents’ Kitchen Explorers. She’s the best-est.
