Vegan Cheezy Straws

Vegan Cheezy Straws from 40-Year-Old Vegan
Ingredients

• ½ package (17.3 oz.) Pepperidge Farm frozen puff pastry
• 1 T. flax meal
• 3 T. water
• 1/3 c. nutritional yeast
• 5 t. paprika
• 1 t. dried basil
• ½ t. salt
• Fresh ground black pepper
• You will need a pastry brush and two cookie sheets covered with parchment paper for this recipe

Directions

1. Preparation: Twenty minutes before preparing, preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove frozen pastry sheets from freezer and allow to thaw on the countertop.   Mix the flax meal with water (to form a flax egg) and set aside to thicken.
2. Mix the nutritional yeast, paprika, basil, and salt thoroughly in a bowl. Set aside.
3. Unroll the dough sheet from the paper wrapper. This should happen easily if it is thoroughly thawed.  Lay dough on a floured cutting board – it should still be cold to the touch. Roll into a 10” x 12” rectangle.  If dough gets too warm it will be hard to work with – if this happens, put it back in the freezer for a few minutes to get it cold.
4. Brush the flax mixture on top of the full surface of the dough using a pastry brush. Sprinkle half the nutritional yeast mixture on top of the full surface of the dough and press it lightly into the dough using the back of a spoon.
5. Turn pastry sheet over and repeat the process with the flax and nutritional yeast.
6. Fold the dough in half lengthwise. Cut crosswise into strips, about ½ inch in diameter.
7. Unfold each strip to its full length and twist a few times. Place the twisted “straw” onto the parchment paper of the cookie sheets.  Repeat with each strip.
8. Bake for 7 – 8 minutes until puffy and golden.

Serve with soup or salad instead of croutons or serve as an appetizer with marinara sauce.
Adapted from Cheese Straw Twists, Betty Crocker Cookbook