Puff pastry knots is the easiest and fastest way to get some appetizers ready right before dinner. I usually make these appetizers whenever I have leftover puff pastry dough. Nothing goes to waste!
I made cheese twists a few months ago and wanted to try out some new flavors. Half of the crowd at my home is vegetarian so I gathered some of my meatless pantry staples like soy bacon bits and horseradish mustard to please everyone.
Ingredients
2 Tbs soy bacon bits
1/8 tsp sugar cane
2 Tbs parmesan, freshly shaved
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 Tbs horseradish mustard
2 Tbs butter, melted
1 tsp pink peppercorn, coarsely ground
2 tsp onion chives, finely snipped
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 375°F
In a mortar & pestle, grind the soy bacon bits into fine powder.
Finely chop all the parmesan shavings using a chef's knife. Set aside.
Make a 1/2-inch thick dough. Cut into 1/2-inc thick long strips. Roll into long cylinder with your hands like play-doh, one stick at a time.
Brush all the sides of each puff pastry stick with butter. Coat with a very thin layer of mustard. Sprinkle with garlic powder and the sugar. Sprinkle all the soy bacon powder onto a baking board, then roll each stick into it. Create a knot for each stick. Sprinkle all the parmesan onto the baking board. Coat each knot with parmesan.
Place a silicon mat or a sheet of parchment paper on a baking sheet. Place the knots onto the prepared baking sheet. Make sure to space the knots about 2 inches apart so that they don't touch each other as they will expand when they puff.
Bake the puff pastries for about 20 minutes until light golden, flip each pastry then cook for another 2 minutes. As soon as they're cooked, sprinkle some onion chives so that they stick to the knots due to the hot butter. Transfer to a cooling rack.
Serve warm.
Bon appetit!
Tips
I added soy vegetarian bits to add a smoky flavor. You can substitute with your favorite charcuterie meat (preserved meat).
I added a little sugar to balance the sour flavor of the horseradish. The horseradish brings some heat and complements the smoky flavor of the soy bacon. I did not add any salt though since the soy bacon bits are already salty.
I'm getting my first onion and garlic chives in our garden. It's so worth planting them. They are perennials so it's very low maintenance. They are also very good companion plant for other herbs if you have an herb box. The flowers are pretty for an added bonus. The other plus is I only pick the quantity I need whereas you have to get a whole bunch from the store. Snip the onion chives with kitchen shears to prevent them from bruising.
You can make multiple varieties of the cheese twists. You can substitute any kind of hard cheese and change the spices. And of course, you can change the shape.
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About Jackie
Hi! My name is Jacqueline Pham and I am a self-taught home cook based in the San Francisco Bay Area. I am French-Vietnamese, born and raised in Paris, France. I live with my husband Lulu and his family.
My hubby's family is from India, so our home is a melting pot of cultures and cuisines with all the rewards and challenges that you can imagine. There are vegetarians, meat-lovers and allergies of every kind. This site is a way for me to share my love of food and interact with all you Femme Fatales out there putting food on the table for your loved ones everyday.
