Cacio e Pepe Palmiers

Palmiers are usually sweet— made of puff pastry and sugar and baked to a golden brown. This savory take on the traditional French cookie bumps up the flavor factor by adding cacio e pepe— pecorino and black pepper— to imitate the flavors of an Italian favorite. With store-bought puff pastry, this nibble is an easy, elegant and impressive way to welcome your guests for cocktails. Best part is, you can freeze the unbaked slices and bake them off when you need them.

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Makes 36 palmiers

INGREDIENTS

1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
1 egg
1½ cup freshly grated or finely grated (or a mix of both) pecorino cheese, divided
2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, divided, plus ½ tsp
Kosher salt

METHOD

Roll pastry out to an approximately 13” square. Beat egg w 1 tbsp water and brush onto one side of puff pastry. Evenly sprinkle with ¾ cup of the cheese along with 1½ tsp black pepper onto pastry and press with hands to adhere to pastry. Working quickly, fold opposite sides to center like a book. Brush with more egg wash, sprinkle with ¼ cup more Pecorino and ¼ tsp black pepper. Take both folded sides and again fold inward toward same center line. Brush with more egg wash, sprinkle with remaining cheese and add remaining black pepper. Season with a pinch of kosher salt. Finally, fold one side over the other, maintaining same center line, like a book. Wrap in saran wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425F.

Cut into ¼” slices and lay on parchment lined sheet pan 2” apart. Brush with egg wash sprinkle each one with remaining pecorino and bake for 12 minutes rotating halfway thru until deep golden brown.