Turn puff pastry offcuts into brilliant cheesy snacks

Testing puff pastry for the Filter left plenty of trimmings and brought to mind a favourite zero‑waste idea: malfatti, biscuits made from pastry offcuts that are seasoned, rolled in seeds and spices, baked and served with cheese. Determined to use the excess puff, the scraps proved perfect for making misshapen cheese straws that caramelise into moreish, cheesy treats.

Kimchi or sauerkraut add a welcome kick and complexity, but they are optional. If you don’t have either, or need a more child‑friendly filling, try a little salty Marmite instead. The more misshapen the pastry, the better: once filled, twisted and baked, odd shapes come into their own.

Use puff pastry offcuts of any size or shape, a little kimchi or sauerkraut to taste, and grated cheddar or blue cheese (about 1–3 tsp per strip, plus extra for topping). Keep milk or any leftover egg wash to glaze if you have it, and sesame seeds or chilli flakes for scattering if you like.

puff pastry, pastry offcuts, cheese straws, malfatti, kimchi, sauerkraut, marmite, cheddar, egg wash, sesame seeds