The month of Ramadan may be a period of fasting but it’s equally synonymous with feasting. Iftar – the evening meal with which Muslims break their fast – is an occasion for eating favourite dishes and indulging in the naughtiness of moreish snacks after a day of abstaining.
In India, mealtimes are very much a family affair and everything is shared which makes these cheese-and-pastry twirls perfect for making together with the little ones. They’re incredibly easy to make plus you only need ready-made puff pastry and a handful of store-cupboard ingredients. There’s also a cinnamon sugar variation so we recommend you make both, to satisfy sweet and savoury tastes. Be sure to dip them into hot masala chai for extra enjoyment.
METHOD
Step 1
Take the pastry out of the fridge, remove any packaging and allow around 20 minutes for it to come to room temperature before using.
Step 2
Heat the oven to 210°C/Fan 190°C/Gas 6–7 and line a large baking sheet with baking parchment.
Step 3
Unroll the pastry and cut in half horizontally (to create two short rectangles rather than two long strips). Take one piece of pastry and lay it flat. Slice into long strips, 1.5–2cm wide, leaving the strips where they are as you go (a floured pizza slicer is best for this). You should be able to get 8–10 strips.
Step 4
Brush the pastry with egg white, then dust lightly with chaat masala and sprinkle over the cheese and chopped coriander (you might find it easiest to microplane the cheese directly into the pastry). Lightly run a rolling pin over the surface to secure the cheese and coriander, then dust with a little more chaat masala for luck.
Step 5
Trying not to dislodge the topping, lift a pastry strip by both ends, twist it around to create nice twirls in the pastry, then lay it on the lined baking sheet and give it a light press to make it stay in place. Repeat with the rest of the strips, then with the other half of the pastry sheet.
Step 6
Bake for 15–18 minutes, or until the pastry is puffed, golden and quite crisp. Place on a wire rack to cool. Serve the pastry twists once they have cooled, with plenty of chai.
Variation
Cinnamon sugar sticks: For the topping, mix 4 tsp white granulated sugar with 1 tsp ground cinnamon. Roll out the pastry and cut into strips as above. Sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar (there’s no need to press it in with a rolling pin), then twist and bake as above.
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