Parmesan-on-a-Stick

By corlear

Ingredients

• For the puff pastry:
• 2 cups plain flour
• 2/3 oz salt
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1 cup water
• 1 1/2 cup butter
• For the pastry:
• 3 1/2 oz puff pastry (see previous step)
• 1 egg
• For the grated parmesan:
• 4 oz Reggiano parmesan
• To finish:
• 1 lemon

Details

Servings 10

Preparation

Step 1

To prepare the pastry:
1. Beat the flour, salt, water and 3/8 cup of cubed butter in the bowl of an electric mixer.
2. Work the mixture at a medium speed for around 15 minutes, until the pastry is smooth and elastic.
3. Cover with cling film and leave to rest for 1 hour in the fridge.

To prepare the puff pastry:
1. Roll out the pastry into a square and make sure that the center is thicker than the sides.
2. Once the pastry is rolled out, put the softened butter, whose texture should be as similar as possible as to the pastry's, in the center of the square (1/10" thick).
3. Fold the sides of the pastry into the center. This process should be carried out with great care, so that the butter does not seep out.
4. Roll the pastry out lengthwise, until it is 1/10" thick again.
5. Fold one end of the pastry into the center and then place the other end over the folded part. This process is called a turn.
6. Turn the pastry so that the folds are at the sides. Repeat points 4 and 5. Cover the pastry with cling film and leave to rest in the fridge for 20 minutes.
7. Repeat the above process 2 times more and you will have 6 turns. It will then be ready to use after it has been left to rest.

Pastry:
1. Roll the pastry out until it is 1/10" thick.
2. Brush with beaten egg.
3. Cut the pastry into strips that are 4½ " long and 1/5" wide.
4. Line a baking tray with a piece of greaseproof paper.
5. Place the pastry sticks on the tray, making sure that you leave at least 2" between each stick.

For the grated parmesan:
1. Cut the parmesan into 2¾ x 2" rectangles.
2. Leave the parmesan to soften at room temperature for 6 hours.
3. Use a grater to make 1/5" wide x 2¼" long strips.

Finishing Touches & Presentation:
1. Make an uneven lattice, measuring 5 or 2¼" long by 1½" wide, out of the parmesan strips on the one end of the puff pastry stick.
2. Bake at 345 ºF for approximately 3 minutes until the puff pastry and parmesan are golden brown.
3. Leave to cool.
4. Grate the lemon rind over the parmesan lattice.
5. Arrange vertically in a narrow tumbler.