Cheese and Prosciutto Puff Pastry Twists

row of cheese and prosciutto twists on black tray fresh out the oven

5 from 5 votes

Cheese and Prosciutto Puff Pastry Twists

Cheese and Prosciutto Puff Pastry Twists are the PERFECT appetizer to share! So easy to make and even more delicious to snack on!

Prep Time10

Cook Time15

Total Time25

Course: Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: Twists

Author: Chris Collins

Cost: 50p / 50c

Equipment

Large Baking Tray
Parchment/Greaseproof Paper
Small Pot and Brush (for egg wash)
Fine Cheese Grater
Sharp Knife

Ingredients

1 sheet of Pre Rolled Puff Pastry (see notes)
4-5 slices Prosciutto/Parma Ham (see notes)
1 1/2 cups / 150g Cheddar, finely grated (see notes)
1/2 tsp Dried Oregano
1 Egg, beaten (for egg wash)
Black Pepper, to taste

Instructions

Unroll your pastry and place straight onto a baking sheet in a suitably sized oven tray.
Evenly space out your cheese and push down with your hands to flatten. Sprinkle with oregano and black pepper, then evenly space out your slices of prosciutto. You might need to cut a piece in half/quarter to fit perfectly.
Take a sharp knife and cut into 1 inch strips. Space out the strips then twist a couple of times. Important to give your twists space in the oven else they will stick together!
Brush the visible parts of pastry with egg wash, then pop in the oven at 200C/390F for 15-20 mins or until golden and crispy. If they start to char too quickly then lower the heat.

Video

Notes

a) Size - Different brands of pre made puff pastry will come in different sizes, some square some rectangular etc.The size of pastry I use is 14"x9" (35.5cmx22cm). The weight is 320g/11.3oz, so if you are buying puff pastry that is not pre rolled (i.e a slab of pastry) make sure you are using that much weight and roll out to the dimensions above. Having said that as long as you fully cover the surface with your ingredients, cut into 1 inch strips and make sure they are spaced out on the tray, it really doesn't matter what length they are.

b) Prosciutto - Prosciutto is great because it's so thin, so ends up going nice and crispy without releasing too much moisture. You can use regular ham so long as it's thin (needs to be durable so you can make the twists).

c) Baking Sheet - You'll find that many pastries actually come wrapped in a sheet which 99% of the time is suitable to bake. Just check the instructions to make sure.

d) Salt - You'll have twigged on to the fact I add no salt throughout the recipe. That is indeed because prosciutto is already incredibly salty. I actually find that using a mild cheddar instead of a sharp cheddar also reduces the salty taste if that's something you're not a fan of.

e) Serving - I usually serve these as a starter with a dip, or just casual appetizer/finger food. Also great for game day!

f) Can I make these ahead of time? - Yep! Just allow them to cool then pop in the fridge or freezer (try and space out if freezing or they'll stick together). Then warm up in the oven at 180C/356F for a few mins until hot and puffy again.

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