Recipe: Hazelnut pesto puffs

Total time: About 1 hour, plus defrosting and chilling time

Servings: 12 to 16 (makes 52 pieces)

Note: Tapenade, green or black, can substitute for the pesto, as can anchoiade (Provencal anchovy paste). You could also just use grated cheese, such as Gruyere or Fontina, mixed with coarse-grain mustard. All-butter puff pastry is available at Surfas in Culver City.

4 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves (2 medium bunches), washed and dried well

1/3 cup loosely packed fresh

Italian parsley leaves, washed and dried well

1/3 cup toasted, skinned hazelnuts, roughly chopped

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

3/4 cup freshly grated

Parmigiano-Reggiano

2 cloves garlic, minced or to taste

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Flour for dusting work surface

1(14-ounce) package all-butter puff pastry, defrosted according to package directions

Butter for baking sheet

1. Combine the basil, parsley, hazelnuts and oil in a blender or food processor and process until smooth, scraping down the container frequently with a rubber spatula.

2. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and stir in the cheese and garlic. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

3. Lightly flour a work surface. Cut the puff pastry in half and roll out one half to a thickness of one-eighth inch. Cut it into 3-inch wide strips. Spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons of the pesto down the center of each strip, leaving about a quarter-inch border on the long sides. Fold each strip over lengthwise from each side, overlapping slightly and pressing to seal. Turn the dough over so that the seam side is down. Cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces. Transfer to lightly buttered baking sheets, seam side down. Repeat with the remaining dough and pesto. Chill 30 minutes.

4. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Bake the pastries on the center rack until they are puffed and lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Each puff: 57 calories; 1 gram protein; 5 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram fiber; 4 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 1 mg. cholesterol; 33 mg. sodium.