Good Food, Good Life, 365 – Flaky Herb & Garlic Toasts

Flaky Herb & Garlic Toasts

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons walnuts
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 rounded teaspoon no-salt Italian seasoning
• 1 sheet frozen puff pastry (from a 17.3-ounce box that contains 2 sheets), thawed but still cold
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon water

Instructions:

1. In a mini-food processor, grind Parmesan cheese with walnuts. Transfer to a small bowl.
2. In the same food processor, puree the garlic with olive oil. Transfer to a small bowl.
3. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 400 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
4. Unfold the defrosted (but still refrigerator cold) puff pastry sheet on a piece of parchment paper.
5. Gently roll out the puff pastry sheet in both directions to create a slightly flatter and even surface.
6. Brush the puff pastry generously with the olive oil & garlic mixture. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning. Top with Parmesan mixture.
7. Fold the long sides of the puff pastry towards the center so they go halfway to the middle. Fold them again so the two folds meet exactly at the middle of the dough. Then fold 1 half over the other half.
8. Put the folded puff pastry in the freezer for 10 minutes to allow for easier slicing.
9. Whisk the egg and water together and set aside.
10. Slice the dough into 3/8-inch slices, this should yield approx. 24 hearts. Brush lightly with egg wash.
11. Bake for 15 minutes. The hearts are done baking when they’re golden, then transfer hearts to a cooling rack.

These are best eaten warm.

Sue’s Tips:
Herb & Garlic Toasts can be frozen, unbaked, for up to 3 months and baked off as need.

After slicing the pastry dough, place the hearts on baking sheets, brush the tops with the egg wash, and freeze until solid, about 2 hours. Transfer the frozen pinwheels to an airtight container. To bake, place the frozen pinwheels on parchment paper-lined baking sheets and bake at 400°F until golden-brown, about 17 minutes.

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.

When you’d like these pastry hearts to be a sweet treat, use Nutella to spread over the dough before forming. Yum!