Golden Parmesan puff-pastry twists with crisp laminated ridges on an off-white sharing platter

Snack

Parmesan Cheese Straws

Published 31 October 2026 · Updated 31 October 2026

These golden puff-pastry twists have nutty Parmesan tucked between the layers and pressed onto the outside. Keep the pastry cool as you shape it, then bake until the ridges and undersides are crisp rather than judging by the cheese colour alone.

Not kitchen tested by The Black Farmer.

Research and editorial review are separate from kitchen testing.
Serves 6
Prep 56 min
Cook 43 min
Total 99 min

Timing: Allow an estimated 99 minutes in total. The first 10 minutes cover setup and wrapped-pastry standing at the same time; shaping then takes 15 minutes, giving 25 minutes of active preparation. The 20-minute refrigerated chill and oven preheating happen together. Oven work takes 43 minutes: 1 minute to load, 20 minutes for the first bake, 1 minute to swap trays, 20 minutes for the second bake and 1 minute to unload. During the second bake, the first batch has 3 minutes to set, 1 minute for rack transfer and 7 minutes to cool. The second batch needs those same 11 minutes after unloading. Displayed preparation time is 56 minutes, including 25 minutes active work, 20 minutes chilling and 11 minutes final cooling; cooking is 43 minutes, giving 99 minutes overall. Checks from 15 minutes are within each 20-minute bake, not additional stages. Any longer packet-standing time, extra chilling, delayed oven readiness, additional tray, further baking or longer cooling adds actual elapsed time. Accompaniments are separate. These are editorial estimates, not kitchen-tested timings.

Ingredients

  • Parmesan Reggiano (200g)

    Parmesan

    100g edible cheese, weighed without hard rind and finely grated; divided: 80g for the internal layer and 20g for the outside coating

    Buy one 200g block; weigh only 100g edible cheese after removing hard rind. The remaining gross balance includes any rind and is not guaranteed to be 100g edible cheese. Keep unused cheese refrigerated according to its label. Contains milk; no vegetarian claim.

    £6.50

Adds 1 items across 1 products — £6.50 total.

Pantry ingredients such as oil, salt and herbs are not included.

Other Ingredients You'll Need

  • Ready-rolled puff pastry — 320g chilled rectangular sheet, approximately 35 × 23cm and 3mm thick (Recipe amount and starting dimensions, not a linked shopping pack. Use chilled pastry, not frozen or shortcrust. Choose a packet that permits the stated brief standing and baking temperature; follow its handling instructions if longer. Keep cool. Contains wheat; check current label for milk and other allergens.)
  • Ground black pepper — 1/4 tsp (All mixed with the 80g internal cheese allocation. No extra salt, butter, egg glaze or garnish is required.)

Method

Prepare the cheese and cold trays

Allow a shared 10 minutes for setup and the pastry to stand, still wrapped, just long enough to unroll without cracking. Follow the packet if it needs a different standing time and count any extra. Meanwhile line both trays with baking parchment kept within their edges, clear fridge space and gather the equipment. Remove the hard rind from the Parmesan, weigh 100g edible cheese, finely grate it and divide into 80g and 20g portions. Mix all the black pepper into the 80g portion. Refrigerate the unused block following its label. Keep the pastry cool, not soft or greasy.

Layer, cut and twist

Allow about 15 minutes for assembly. Unroll the pastry onto a fresh piece of parchment and check the starting dimensions. Spread all 80g peppered Parmesan evenly over one half of the sheet, leaving a narrow clear edge; fold the other half across to enclose it, bringing the short ends together. Cover with another parchment sheet and roll gently to a 24 × 24cm square, without setting a separate thickness target: the enclosed cheese adds depth, without forcing the cheese through the surface. Peel off the top paper, scatter all the reserved 20g cheese evenly over the square and replace the paper briefly to press it in lightly with the rolling pin. Remove the top paper. Cut into 24 strips, each 1cm wide and 24cm long. Twist each strip three times, keeping the cheese layer enclosed as far as possible. Put twelve twists on each lined tray, their length running across the 28cm direction, leaving at least 2cm clear between neighbouring strips along the 45cm direction. If the twists spread so their gaps are less than 2cm, use an additional tray rather than crowding; bake it separately and add its actual bake/handling/cooling time. Press the ends down lightly to discourage untwisting. Transfer loose cheese from the cutting paper back onto the twists, not into bare piles on the tray. No flour, egg wash or extra butter is needed. If the pastry turns soft, pause and refrigerate until firm before continuing; count this extra wait.

Chill and heat the oven

Refrigerate both trays for 20 minutes, until the twists feel firm. At the start of this chill, heat the oven to 200°C conventional / 180°C fan / gas 6 with a shelf in the centre; allow 20 minutes for this heating within the same chill, not afterwards. Bake only once both pastry and oven are ready, extending the shared wait if necessary. Keep the second tray refrigerated while the first bakes. The recipe cooks one tray at a time, not both on different shelves.

Bake the first tray

Allow about 1 minute to load the first cold tray onto the centre shelf and close the oven door, then bake for about 20 minutes. Begin checking at 15 minutes, within that bake allowance. Look for raised, golden pastry ridges and a dry, browned underside; a little cheese browning is expected but dark cheese alone does not mean the pastry is ready. Use a palette knife to lift one twist slightly and inspect the base. If still pale or damp underneath, continue in 2-minute checks. Stop sooner if properly cooked; extra checks extend the estimate.

Swap trays and cool the first batch

Allow about 1 minute to take out the first tray with oven gloves, put it safely on a heatproof rest and load the second cold tray onto the centre shelf. Start the second bake clock after closing the door. Bake for about 20 minutes, checking from 15 minutes and using the same colour, rise and dry-base cues; use further 2-minute checks if needed. During this bake, leave the first batch on its tray for about 3 minutes, allow about 1 minute to lift it onto the rack with the palette knife, then cool unstacked for about 7 minutes. Attend to the oven before handling cooled twists; this first cooling fits within the second bake and is not added again to the elapsed time. Once comfortable to handle, break a thick central section of a twist from this first batch to check for dry, separated pastry layers rather than a gummy centre. If the first batch needs more baking, return it to the oven after the second batch and add the actual baking and cooling time. If it simply needs longer cooling, it can continue on the rack.

Cool the second batch and serve

Allow about 1 minute to unload the second tray onto a heatproof rest and close the oven door. Leave these twists on the tray for about 3 minutes, allow about 1 minute to move them to the rack and cool for about 7 minutes, without stacking. They should be crisp and comfortable to handle; break a thick central section of one cooled twist and check that its pastry layers are dry and separated, not gummy. A gummy centre needs further baking and another cooling period, not serving as it is; count the additional time. Serve once both batches are ready, four twists per person. Best eaten on the day; keep unused cheese and unbaked pastry refrigerated according to their labels.

Serving Suggestion

Offer four twists per person with cucumber batons and cherry tomatoes as a sharing snack, or alongside Spiced Carrot and Red Lentil Soup. Keep the twists on a separate plate until eating so soup steam does not soften the pastry. The vegetables and soup are optional accompaniments with their own ingredients, allergens, costs and timings, not part of the twenty-four twists.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why fold the cheese inside rather than scatter it all on top?

The 80g internal layer gives each twist cheese throughout, while the separate 20g coating colours the ridges. Leaving all the cheese on the surface can make it darken before the pastry layers are baked. Use the full measured allocations, not extra handfuls.

Why is there no egg glaze?

Pressed-on Parmesan gives the twists their savoury surface and colour. This version needs no egg wash: roll between parchment and press the cheese onto the pastry before cutting. A glaze is not required to seal an open twist.

Can both trays bake at once?

The written timetable uses one centre-shelf tray at a time so the bases receive similar heat. Keep the second tray refrigerated until its turn. Two-shelf baking needs different rotation and timing and is not covered by this schedule.

What if the cheese is brown but the middle is soft?

Judge the pastry as well as its coating. Check for a dry browned base and, once cool enough to handle, dry separated layers in a broken thick central section. Gummy pastry needs further baking; do not assume browned cheese proves the centre is cooked.

Do I grate the whole shopping block?

No. One 200g block supplies 100g edible cheese, weighed after taking off hard rind. Divide that 100g into 80g inside and 20g outside. The unused gross balance includes any rind; follow the label for refrigeration. The basket price is for the whole cheese block and excludes pantry ingredients.

Are these vegetarian or gluten-free?

Neither claim is made. The selected Parmesan does not establish vegetarian rennet suitability, and ordinary puff pastry contains wheat. Check current product labels for milk and other allergens rather than relying on the absence of meat or an egg glaze.