Parmesan Twists

Parmesan twists are crisp savory cheese straws that beat anything out of a snack box from the supermarket. The dough is straightforward, butter, sour cream, parmesan, and flour with a quiet hit of Italian seasoning, but the twisting is what makes them. Each strip gets a couple of turns before baking so they hold their spiral shape and crisp evenly on every side.

Use real grated parmesan, not the powdered tub from the shelf. The aged hard cheese builds genuine umami flavor and crisps to a glassy edge in the oven, while the powdered stuff just dissolves and adds salt.

Brush with the egg yolk wash before sprinkling seeds. The yolk gives a deep golden mahogany color and the seeds (caraway or poppy) actually stick instead of falling off in the oven.

Kitchen Tips

• Chill the dough 15 minutes if it gets too soft to handle. Butter doughs warm fast.
• Roll the rectangle thin, about ¼ inch, for the crispest twists
• Press the ends of each twist firmly onto the baking sheet to prevent unwinding in the oven
• Watch carefully at 8 minutes. These go from golden to dark very quickly.
• Cool on a wire rack to keep the bottoms from steaming soft on the pan

Variations

• Sprinkle with sesame, fennel, or nigella seeds in place of caraway or poppy
• Add ¼ teaspoon of cayenne to the dough for a spicy kick
• Sub aged gruyere for the parmesan for a nuttier flavor