Cheese Straws

Cheese straws go really well with a cocktail, and they are so moreish, it's a good job they are really easy to make. Use all-butter puff pastry if you can find it, as it's, well, more buttery.

YOU WILL NEED

(enough for Merv too)

• 1 Pack Ready-rolled All Butter Puff Pastry
• 1/2 cup Freshly Grated Gruyere Cheese
• 1/4 Cup Freshly Grated Parmesan
• 1 Tablespoon Fresh Thyme Leaves
• 1 Lightly Beaten Egg
• Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper

AND TO MAKE

Preheat your oven to 190 degrees Celsius / 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Mix your two grated cheeses together with the thyme. Open your pack of pastry and place it on your worktop. Brush the pastry surface generously with the beaten egg, and then sprinkle the egg-washed surface with your cheese and thyme mix. Season well with salt and pepper.

Using a rolling pin, roll over the cheese-topped pastry lightly and evenly a couple of times. This will press the cheese and seasoning into the pastry so that it doesn't all fall off. Then divide into twelve even strips with a sharp knife, using a palette knife if necessary to loosen them from the worktop ready to twist.

Twist each strip and place on a non-stick baking tray, lined with a silicon sheet or baking parchment, and bake in your preheated oven for 10-15 minutes , until the cheese is golden brown.

TO SERVE

Allow to cool, then serve either piled up on a rectangular serving tray, or in a jug. They're perfect with my Sapphire And Steel gin and thyme cocktail, or try them with a dirty martini or fizzy bubbly cocktail.

Best eaten on the day that they're made, and although they will keep for a day or two in an airtight container, they won't last that long!

Love Myrtle xxx