Frozen puff pastry is your friend; each time you bake with it, you’ll enjoy it more and guests will be dazzled. When you’re expecting a crowd, make the pretzels a bit smaller for easier serving. Sprinkle them with your favorite bagel topping, or those we’ve suggested here. Enjoy with The Mustard Triplets below – the perfect compliment to these fun pretzels. Serves 8.
Puff Pastry Pretzels
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed (half 17.3-ounce package)
1 large egg yolk
2 teaspoons water, beaten with egg yolk above for egg wash
Finely grated Parmesan cheese
Crumbled dried rosemary
Coarse salt
Caraway seeds
The Mustard Triplets (see below)
1. Position racks in the upper third and lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Have ready 2 large nonstick baking sheets.
2. Between 2 sheets of waxed paper, roll out the puff pastry to a 10- by 12-inch rectangle.
3. Remove the top sheet of waxed paper and cut the dough lengthwise into 1/2-inch strips. Shape each strip into a traditional twisted pretzel shape. Or cut each strip into two 6-inch pieces and shape into circles, squares, or triangles. Arrange the pretzels 1 inch apart on the baking sheets.
4. Gently brush the top of each pretzel with egg wash. Sprinkle one third of the pretzels with chese, one third with rosemary and salt, and one third with caraway seeds; use as much as you like.
5. Bake the pretzels 6 minutes. Switch the baking sheets between the upper and lower oven racks, and bake 6 to 8 minutes longer, or until the pretzels are golden brown. Carefully transfer the pretzels to a wire rack to cool.
6. Serve the pretzels at room temperature, with the mustards in small bowls for dipping.
Grainy
1/2 cup grainy Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon each finely chopped fresh tarragon, basil, and parsley
Spicy
1/2 cup yellow mustard
1 teaspoon hot sauce
Wasabi
1/2 cup yellow mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons wasabi powder, or to taste
For each mustard flavor, combine the ingredients in a small bowl. Mix the ingredients until they are blended, then cover the bowls. The mustards can be made up to a day ahead and kept in the refrigerator. Allow them to stand at room temperature 30 minutes, then transfer them to serving bowls.
Courtesy of Mary Engelbreit’s You’re Invited Cookbook
