Phyllo Cheese Straws With Pesto Food

CHEESE STRAWS IN PESTO

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Combine the cream cheese, parmesan, egg and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small bowl; mix well. Spoon into a resealable bag; snip off the corner to make a 1/4-inch-diameter opening.
• Unfold the stack of phyllo sheets on a clean surface. Working quickly to keep the dough from drying out, brush the top sheet all over with melted butter, then pipe the cheese filling along the long edge of the dough to within 1/2 inch of the ends. Fold the ends over the filling, then roll up the dough to make a straw. Place on a baking sheet; repeat with the remaining phyllo sheets and cheese mixture. Bake until golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Serve the cheese straws with pesto.

PHYLLO CHEESE STRAWS WITH PESTO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375º.
• In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese, lightly beaten egg, parmesan, and salt. Stir to combine.
• Spoon mixture into a plastic zip-top bag. Set aside. To use as a pastry bag, cut corner off bag to make a 1/4-inch diameter opening.
• Lay out thawed phyllo dough.
• Working quickly to keep dough from drying out: brush top sheet with melted butter, pipe cheese filling along long edge of phyllo 1/2-inch from each end. Fold over ends to seal in filling and roll up straw. Repeat with remaining sheets of phyllo and place on a baking sheet.
• Bake until golden, about 10 minutes.
• Makes 20 straws.
• Serve warm with pesto for dipping.

CHEESE STRAWS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Roll out each sheet of puff pastry on a lightly floured board until it is 10- by 12-inches. Beat the egg with 1 tablespoon of water and brush the surface of the pastry. Sprinkle each sheet evenly with 1¿4 cup of the Parmesan, 1¿2 cup of the Gruyère, 1¿2 teaspoon of the thyme, 1¿2 teaspoon of the salt, and some pepper. With the rolling pin, lightly press the flavorings into the puff pastry. Cut each sheet crosswise with a floured knife or pizza wheel into 11 or 12 strips. Twist each strip and lay on baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
• Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until lightly browned and puffed. Turn each straw and bake for another 2 minutes. Don't over bake or the cheese will burn. Cool and serve at room temperature.

PARMESAN CHEESE STRAWS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a large nonstick baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
• In a small bowl, mix the cheese, chili powder and cumin. Place the sheets of phyllo on a work surface and cover them with a damp towel. Remove the first sheet and place it with short side toward you. Coat with nonstick cooking spray (butter-flavored is nice), then sprinkle with about 2 teaspoons of the cheese mixture; fold the phyllo in 1/2 to form a 12 by 8 1/2-inch rectangle. Spray the phyllo again and sprinkle with 2 more teaspoons of the cheese mixture; fold in 1/2 again to form a 6 by 8 1/2-inch rectangle. Spray the phyllo again and sprinkle with 2 more teaspoons of the cheese mixture; fold in 1/2 again to form a 6 by 4 1/4-inch rectangle. Spray again and sprinkle with just a bit of the cheese mixture; with a serrated knife, cut into 8 short strips. Transfer the strips to the baking sheet, placing them about 1/2-inch apart. Repeat the process 2 more times to make 24 cheese straws. Bake until the cheese straws are crisp and golden, about 8 to 10 minutes. Cool on wire racks.

CREAMY PHYLLO CHEESE STRAWS IN PESTO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese, lightly beaten egg, Parmesan, and salt. Stir to combine. Spoon mixture into a plastic zip-top bag. Set aside. To use as a pastry bag, cut corner off bag to make a 1/4-inch diameter opening.
• Lay out thawed phyllo dough. Working quickly to keep dough from drying out: brush top sheet with melted butter, pipe cheese filling along long edge of phyllo 1/2-inch from each end. Fold over ends to seal in filling and roll up straw. Repeat with remaining sheets of phyllo and place on a baking sheet. Bake until golden, about 10 minutes.
• Serve warm with pesto for dipping.

PHYLLO STRAWS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375*F.
• On a cutting board, lay out one sheet of phyllo dough, brush with clarified butter and sprinkle evenly with Parmesan cheese (keep the remaining phyllo covered with a moistened tea towel).
• Place the other sheet of phyllo on top of the cheese and brush it with clarified butter.
• Using a sharp knife, cut the buttered phyllo sheets lengthwise into thirds (you will have three long srips, each about 3 inches wide and 18 inches long).
• Next, cut these strips crosswise into 1 1/2 inch rectangles.
• Wrap each rectangle lengthwise around a pencil or wooden skewer.
• Remove the pencil or skewer and place the rolls on a greased baking sheet.
• Continue this process until all of the phyllo has been rolled.
• Refrigerate the phyllo straws on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes, or until they are firm.
• Bake about 9 minutes, until golden brown.
• Remove from the oven and, using a spatula, slip the straws onto paper towels to cool.
• The straws can be kept in a sealed tin for several days.

PESTO AND CHEESE PASTRIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Place 1 phyllo sheet on work surface. (Keep remaining phyllo covered with plastic wrap and damp towel.) Brush phyllo lightly with butter. Top with second phyllo sheet. Brush lightly with butter. Spread 2 tablespoons pesto in 4x8-inch rectangle along 1 short side of phyllo sheet, 1 inch in from edge. Place 1 cheese slice atop pesto. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon Parmesan. Fold in long sides, then, beginning at cheese end, roll up phyllo jelly roll style. Place seam side down on cookie sheet. Lightly brush top with butter. Repeat with remaining phyllo, butter, pesto and cheese. Bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes.
• Slice rolls into 1-inch lengths. Arrange decoratively on platter. Garnish rolls with fresh basil sprigs if desired and serve immediately.

PESTO TWISTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°., Unfold puff pastry sheets on a lightly floured surface. Roll each sheet into a 12-in. square. Spread pesto onto 1 pastry sheet to within 1/4 in. of edges. Sprinkle with cheese. Top with remaining pastry, pressing lightly. Cut into twelve 1-in.-wide strips. Twist each strip 4 times. Place 2 in. apart on parchment-lined baking sheets, pressing down ends., Bake 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

PHYLLO-WRAPPED PESTO CHICKEN

Steps:

• Brush two phyllo sheets with butter; stack one sheet on the other. Brush top with butter. Form five additional stacks. , Flatten chicken; place one piece of chicken on each phyllo stack, with the long side of chicken 1 in. from the long side of the phyllo. Sprinkle with pepper. Place 2 tablespoons pesto on each; top each with a slice of cheese. Fold bottom edge of phyllo over chicken; fold in short sides and roll up. , Place seam side down in a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Brush with remaining butter. Bake, uncovered, at 375° for 45-50 minutes or until chicken juices run clear and pastry is golden brown.