Cheese Straws

I first posted these way back when I first started my blog. I loved them then and I still love them. I thought they deserved to be bumped up and I new picture given to them since I first posted them. I can't even begin to explain how much these cheese straws are loved in our house. We serve them with everything and sometimes we just make them to snack on. They are perfect gifts although they are fragile.



1 sheet frozen puff pastry(1/2 box), thawed on counter for 10 minutes
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1. Adjust two oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 425 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Place puff pastry on sheet of parchment and sprinkle with 1/2 cup cheese and 1/8 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Place another sheet of parchment over cheese and, using rolling pin, press cheese into dough by gently rolling pin back and forth. Without removing parchment, carefully flip dough over, cheese side down. Remove top layer of parchment and sprinkle pastry with remaining cheese, salt, and pepper. Cover pastry with parchment and continue to roll out, if necessary, to form 10 1/2-inch square.

2. Remove top sheet of parchment and, using sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut dough into fourteen 3/4-inch-wide strips. Holding each end, gently twist strips of dough in opposite direction and transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing strips about 1 inch apart.

3. Bake immediately, until fully puffed and golden brown, about 10 minutes, reversing positions of baking sheets from top to bottom halfway through baking time. Cool on wire rack for 5 minutes before serving.