Elevate your standard Saturday night fare for these delicious black olive, feta and honey twists from new cookbook, Small Pleasures

This is a contemporary twist on familiar cheese straws. Mint tempers the saltiness of olives and feta, and the yoghurt lends a creaminess to the finished twists. Surprising and different in every bite.

MAKES 8

You’ll need:

• 100g black olive tapenade 
• 200g feta, crumbled 
• 2 tablespoons mint sauce 
• 1 tablespoon runny honey 
• 2 tablespoons full-fat extra-thick Greek yoghurt, plus extra mixed with a little runny honey and lemon thyme leaves, then chilled to serve 
• 2 × 320g sheets of ready-rolled puff pastry 
• 1 tablespoon ground black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan and line two baking trays with baking paper (or the sheet from the ready-rolled pastry, if you like).
2. In a mixing bowl, combine the tapenade, feta, mint sauce, honey and yoghurt until well combined.
3. Lay out one of the puff pastry sheets and spread the mixture evenly over the top making sure the sheet is completely covered. Then, place the second sheet directly over, covering the mixture. Transfer the sandwiched pastry on to one of the lined baking trays and put it into the fridge for 20 minutes to firm up.
4. Remove the baking tray from the fridge, then cut the sandwiched pastry lengthways into 8 equal strips. This is easiest if you use a knife to halve the sheets down the middle, then halve and halve again.
5. One at a time, take the strips and hold them at either end, gently twisting them 3 times. Place each twisted strip on to the other lined baking tray and sprinkle over the black pepper.
6. Place the strips into the oven and bake for 25–30 minutes, until golden and crispy. Serve with chilled, flavoured Greek yoghurt for dipping.

Small Pleasures: Joyful Recipes for Difficult Times by Ryan Riley is out 18th January (Bloomsbury Publishing, Hardback, £22) Photography by Craig Robertson

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