Olive Straws Recipes

BAKED CHEESE OLIVES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• In a small mixing bowl, combine cheese and butter or margarine. Stir flour and cayenne pepper into the cheese and butter mixture. Blend well. Wrap a tablespoon of dough around each green olive. Arrange the wrapped olives on a cookie sheet.
• Bake for 15 minutes, or until golden brown.

CHEDDAR CHEESE STRAWS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C). Grease or line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Combine the flour, baking powder, cayenne pepper, salt, grated cheese and butter or margarine in a bowl and mix until well combined. Add water a little bit at a time to make a very stiff dough.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll pieces of the dough into just slightly thicker than pencil shaped sticks. Cut sticks into 4 to 5 inch lengths. Arrange the pieces on the baking sheet.
• Bake at 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) for 5 minutes or until browned.

OLIVE STRAWS

Steps:

• On a lightly floured work surface, roll out puff pastry to a 12 1/2-by-6-inch rectangle, about 1/8-inch thick. Using a large sharp knife, cut the rectangle into a 5 1/2-by-6-inch rectangle and a 7-by-6-inch rectangle. Place both rectangles on a baking sheet and transfer to refrigerator; let chill 20 minutes.
• Place the 5 1/2-by-6-inch rectangle on a baking sheet. Place 5 olives, end-to-end, in a straight line along the short side of the rectangle, leaving about a 5/8-inch border. Repeat process two more times to make three lines of olives.
• In a small bowl, whisk together egg yolk and milk. Brush egg mixture on all exposed spaces between olives. Cover with the 7-by-6-inch rectangle of puff pastry, pressing the whole surface of the dough between the olives firmly with your fingertips. Transfer to refrigerator; let chill 20 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Using a very sharp knife, trim edges of dough; cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-wide straws. Lay flat-side down on a baking sheet. Transfer to oven and bake until pastry is golden and crisp, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer straws to a wire rack to cool slightly. Serve warm.

GRUYèRE, ANCHOVY, AND OLIVE STRAWS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to a 15-by-18-inch rectangle. Cut in half crosswise. Whisk egg yolk with 1 teaspoon water. Brush one piece of dough with egg wash (reserving remainder).
• Variations:Gruyère: Sprinkle half each of cheese and cayenne over egg-washed dough; season with pepper. Top with second piece of dough and dust off any excess flour; brush with egg wash. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and cayenne; season with salt.Anchovy: Place half of anchovies over egg-washed dough, arranging them vertically along the length in a single layer; season with pepper. Top with second piece of dough and dust off any excess flour; brush with egg wash. Top with remaining anchovies; season with more pepper.Olive: Pulse olives, capers, and thyme in a food processor to form a smooth paste (you should have a scant 1/2 cup). Spread half of tapenade over egg-washed dough. Top with second piece of dough and dust off any excess flour; brush with egg wash. Spread remaining tapenade over dough; season with pepper.
• With a floured rolling pin, roll over dough gently to compress filling slightly and ensure toppings adhere. Cut dough lengthwise into scant 1/2-inch-thick strips. Transfer to prepared sheets, spaced 1/2 inch apart. Refrigerate until firm, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Bake until straws are golden brown and crisp, 16 to 18 minutes. Let cool completely on sheets. Serve in highball glasses or other tall, narrow serving vessels.