Parmesan Cheese Twists with Fresh Herb Dip

I made this recipe for a cheese party we were invited to. It's from Debbie Macomber's Cedar Cove Cookbook, which is just a beautiful tome - with really great recipes! The herb dip was a little over-herby, but I think that if one were to use a milder parsley, it might be nice. These cheese twists are really easy and yummy, though! I found that it was just as easy to make a double batch because the way that the ingredients are sold, you'll easily have enough for two batches.

Ingredients: Twists

• 1 sheet (7 ounces) frozen puff pastry, thawed
• 1 egg yolk, beaten with
  
• 1 tablespoon water
• 6 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• Salt
• Paprika

Ingredients: Dip

• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• 2 tablespoons fresh chives
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 3 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Tip: it's the fresh herbs and lemon juice that makes this dip sing - dried herbs won't do the trick.

Directions

• Preheat oven to 400 F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper
• On a lightly floured counter top, roll out pastry to a 10x14 inch rectangle. Cut in half lengthwise; brush both halves with egg yolk mixture. Top one of the halves with the Parmesan, salt and paprika. Place the other half onto the Parmesan-topped half. coated sides together. Press down on rectangle to seal the two pieces. Sprinkle with additional salt. (I also sprinkled with additional paprika b/c it's pretty) Using a sharp knife, cut crosswise into 24, each about 1/2-inch thick (I used a pizza cutter, works like a charm!).
• Pick up one strip, holding an end in each hand. Twist ends in opposite directions. Lay twisted strips on prepared sheet. The twists can be crowded, but not touching, because they don't rise much. Bake 10 minutes, until golden and crisp. Transfer to wire racks to cool.
  
• For dip: In a blender or food processor, process parsley, basil, chives, lemon juice and cream cheese until blended. Add yogurt and oil; blend until combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until serving.
  
•