When in France, you will undoubtedly hear about Apéro. In this post, I am excited to share and easy apéro recipe idea! Bite-Size Herby Puff Pastry Knots.
Short for apéritif, it is something done by almost every French person. Essentially, before a meal (usually dinner, but sometimes late lunch), drinks and snacks are enjoyed. It’s something in between happy hour and a low-key cocktail party. The point isn’t about getting drunk… it’s about sharing time with loved ones and preparing your palate for the meal to follow.
Most beverages are acceptable, from wines and champagnes to beer and cocktails. Harder drinks like whisky or rum are fine, as long as they are sipped and not taken as shots. One of our favourites is Ricard with water and ice. Kids usually have juice or syrup mixed with water. Since apéro is usually spontaneous, it’s pretty common to serve finger foods that are already in the pantry or fridge. The usual foods include saucissons (dry cured sausages), charcuterie meats, cheese, rillettes, tomatoes, olives, chips, and anything that’s relatively easy whip up .
It’s very popular to make things using pre-made puff pastry. It’s readily available at every grocery store and most people always have at least one pack of it in their fridge. Puff pastry is super versatile: you can fill them with anything from knackis (hot dogs) to tapenade. I recently experimented with a new idea below and it was a hit!
Inspired by scandinavian cinnamon rolls that are shaped like knots, I made a savoury filling using dried herbs and olive oil. I made them bite-sized so that they are easier to grab and eat. They take less than 10 minutes to put together and about 20 minutes cooking time, depending on the cooking instructions of your pastry dough. Ingredient quantities don’t need to be exact, and you can use pretty much any herb. You can also easily make a vegan version. Makes about a dozen. Enjoy!
INGREDIENTS
1 pack of pre-made puff pastry, made with real butter
2 heaping tablespoons of dried herbs (I used za’atar and thyme)
Olive oil
Pinch of sea salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
1 egg
A little bit of milk
Optional: grated cheese (parmesan, emmental, or gruyere work) and sesame seeds
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven according to cooking instructions of puff pastry. Place parchment paper on cooking sheet.
- Roll out puff pastry. In France, sheets already come rolled out, but if you buy your pastry in blocks, roll until about a few mm thick.
- Mix dried herbs, salt, pepper, and just enough olive oil until you get a thick paste (optional: add grated cheese). Spread on half of the puff pastry.
- Fold puff pastry in half and cut into 2cm wide strips.
- Twist each strip until it looks like a screw, then twirl around your index finger to form a knot. Secure both ends. Place on cooking sheet, making sure to leave room in between the knots.
- Whisk egg with a few drops of milk. Brush on top of knots and sprinkle with sesame seeds and/or cheese.
- Bake according to cooking instructions of puff pastry. When done, remove and let cook for a few minutes. Enjoy!
