Hoja Santa Strudels

All the Dairymaids have a special place in their hearts for Hoja Santa. Firstly, it's made by hand in Deep Ellum/Dallas by the Godmother of Texas cheese. We would be perfectly happy skipping the cake and putting a birthday candle in one of theses beauties. Hoja Santa is delicate, yet decadent. And it's already gift wrapped. If you can control yourself to not devour it all alone, hopefully this fresh goat cheese can make it's way to these incredible little pastries.

1 Hoja Santa 

Alfonzo Olives (about 1/2 cup chopped)

Sun-dried tomatoes in oil (about 1/2 cup chopped)
2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 egg + 1 teaspoon water (for egg wash)

Directions:
Heat oven to 425. Lay out some parchment to thaw puff pastry on and use as a work surface. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Remove meat from olives, discarding the pits and chop. Chop sun-dried tomatoes, mix with olives. Slice Hoja Santa into quarters, then cut each quarter into 5 pieces, keeping Hoja Santa leaf intact. Use a sharp pairing knife to slice the pastry sheet in half lengthwise, then the opposite direction into 5 strips around 2 inches wide, 10 strips total per pastry sheet. Top the center of puff pastry with a teaspoon of olive/sun-dried tomato mix and a piece of Hoja Santa, then fold one side over the top. Use a little egg wash on the inside of the strip to "glue" it together. Gently press to seal. Flip over, crease side down and place on prepared sheet pan. Repeat and space the finished pastries 1 inch apart on the pan. Use your sharp pairing knife and cut three slits on the top of each strudel; you don’t have to cut all the way through, just make a slit. Using the pastry brush, lightly coat the top and down the sides with egg wash. Bake for about 15 minutes, until golden and puffed. Remove and let cool. Serve warm and consume day of.

*Makes 20 mini-strudels