Pastry Twists (Olive Paste & Mediterranean)

For easy entertaining these are great to serve to friends as a snack whilst watching football or movie, as finger food at a party or as a starter when dinner guests arrive.  Pastry Twists are best served hot.

Preparation Time:     20 minutes (approximately)
Cooking Time:     15-20 minutes
Makes:      40 Olive Paste & 40  Mediterranean Pastry Twists

Preheat your oven at 180° for approximately 15-20 minutes to warm up.

Olive Paste
4 Sheets of ready made Puff Pastry
2 Cups of pitted Kalamata Olives (or other black olives)
30 grams melted butter
2 Shallots roughly chopped
1/4 of a bunch of parsley or (a generous handful)
Salt & Pepper to taste
Olive Oil
1/4 cup of Za’atar (spice mix recipe below Cook’s Tips)
1 Beaten Egg for egg wash (will be enough for both recipes)

Place the pitted olives, chopped shallots, parsley, salt & pepper & a drizzle of olive oil in a food processor and whiz.  Once all the ingredients have been whizzed they should  resemble a paste.  If the mixture appears dry add a little more olive oil and mix well.  You may need to do this a few times.

Take a sheet of pastry and brush the sheet with melted butter.  Repeat this for each pastry sheet.  Spread the olive paste over the whole pastry and then sprinkle the Za’atar spice mix on top and fold the pastry sheet in half.  Cut into 10 pieces from the fold downward.  Pick up each piece and twist with both hands in the opposite direction (left hand anti clockwise & right hand clockwise) until the pastry piece is twisted.  Place immediately on the baking tray.  Repeat this step for each piece of pastry you have cut.

Place in the oven and cook for approximately 15-20 minutes or until they are golden in colour.

Mediterranean
4 Sheets of ready made Puff Pastry
1 1/2 Cups of Ajvar (Roasted Red Paprika & Eggplant Relish)
30 grams  melted butter
10 Thin Slices of Salami (hot or mild cut into small pieces)
1/2 cup of chopped Parsley

Take a sheet of pastry and brush the sheet with the melted butter.  Repeat this for each pastry sheet.  Spread Ajvar/Paprika & Eggplant Relish to cover the whole sheet.  Scatter the salami pieces over the sheet, then add the parsley.  Fold the sheet in half and cut into 10 pieces.  Pick up each piece and twist with both hands in the opposite direction (left hand anti clockwise & right hand clockwise) until the pastry piece is twisted.  Place immediately on the baking tray.  Repeat this step for each piece of pastry you have cut.

Place in the oven and cook for approximately 15-20 minutes or until they are golden in colour.

Cook’s Tips

Preparation time will be approximately 20 minutes.  Cooking time will be approximately 45 minutes.  I use 2 large trays this speeds up the cooking time.

Feel free to experimenting with different types of fillings.  Create your own and have fun.

To make the pastry glossy use 1 beaten egg and brush the pastry after you have folded it in half.  If this makes it difficult to cut into pieces.  Brush the pastry after you have cut it into the 10 pieces.  Repeat this for each pastry sheet.
Do keep an eye on them whilst they are cooking, just in case you need to turn the tray so that they cook evenly.

You can prepare these and cook them a few days ahead.  Once they are baked and cooled, placed them in a plastic container and refrigerate.   When you are ready to serve, warm them up in the oven and serve hot.  Do not stack too many on the tray when you are heating them up as you want them to remain crispy on the outside and light and fluffy on the inside.

When re-heating keep the temperature down between 160°-180°.   Check on the twists whilst they are warming up.

Za’atar Spice Mix
1/4 Cup Sumac
2 Tablespoons dried Thyme
1 Tablespoon Roasted Sesame Seeds
2 Tablespoons dried Marjoram
2 Tablespoons dried Oregano
1 Teaspoon Coarse Salt

Grind all ingredients in a Food Processor. To store the Za’atar place in an airtight container or a glass jar.  If sealed and stored properly it will last up to 3-6 months.  Place the container or jar in a cool dark place.

Enjoy!