Allumettes au Fromage et Moutarde
(ah-loo-met oh fro-maje eh moo-tard)
L'Heure de l'Apéro: The Daily Parisian Unwinding
Frozen supermarket puff pastry, a heavy swipe of sharp Dijon mustard, and a mound of grated Gruyère. When the energy is gone, grab a sheet of cold, all-butter puff pastry, smear it with sharp Dijon, and bury it in freshly grated Gruyère. Slide the dough into a 400-degree oven and bake them until the pastry shatters. Keep them flat—twisting them ruins the lift and misses the point.
Before you start
Source real butter pastry.
Standard American supermarket puff pastry is often made with hydrogenated oils, which leaves a greasy film in the mouth. Seek out an all-butter brand for the true grandmother flavor.
Ingredients
- all-butter puff pastry1 sheet
- authentic Dijon mustard2 tbsp
- Gruyère or Comté block1 cup
- egg yolk1 large
Method
- 01
Preheat the oven to a strictly measured 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
This high heat is non-negotiable; it is the scientific trigger that forces the water in the butter to turn to steam, causing the pastry to puff. Line a large, heavy-bottomed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- 02
Unroll the cold pastry onto a floured surface and paint it with the egg wash.
If the dough is thicker than 1/8 inch, gently roll it out to a rough rectangle first. Brushing the egg wash directly onto the dough before adding the toppings creates a seal and gives the exposed edges a beautiful golden shine.
- 03
Smear the dough with mustard and bury it in cheese.
Spread the Dijon evenly over the egg-washed pastry using the back of a spoon, then scatter the grated Gruyère across the entire surface. Firmly press the cheese down into the dough with the palms of your hands or a rolling pin so it stays put when you cut it.
- 04
Slice the dough into flat, straight matchsticks.
Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, trim any ragged edges. Slice the dough vertically into strips about 3/4 inch wide, then slice horizontally across the middle to make short matchsticks 3 to 4 inches long. Do not twist them.
- 05
Chill the pan briefly, then bake until aggressively golden.
Transfer the matchsticks to your baking sheet, leaving half an inch of space between them. If the dough has grown soft, put the pan in the fridge for 10 minutes. Bake on the middle rack for 12 to 15 minutes until deep mahogany brown with bubbling, crispy cheese.
- 06
Cool briefly and serve immediately.
Let them rest on the baking sheet for 3 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. Serve slightly warm with a cold glass of dry white wine or Crémant.
Notes
Hand-grate your cheese.
American pre-shredded cheese is coated in cellulose to prevent clumping, which actively prevents it from melting into a cohesive, bubbling layer. Buy a block of real Gruyère or sharp white cheddar and grate it yourself.
Respect the flat matchstick shape.
Twisting the dough into spirals might look fancy, but it impedes the even lift of the pastry. The simple, flat shape yields a technically superior, flakier texture. Keep it simple.
Embrace the anti-waste heritage.
In France, this recipe is rarely planned in advance. It is an intuitive response to having leftover pastry scraps and a block of cheese growing hard in the fridge. Use what you have, just keep the technique intact.
From Cook French in America.