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Cheese Straws

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photo by Ditte Isager

Don't let the delicate look of these hors d'oeuvres fool you. A touch of cayenne gives them a hint of heat that makes them a tasty accompaniment to a pre-dinner cocktail—or even a cold beer.

Recipe information

  • Total Time

    1 hr (includes cooling)

  • Yield

    Makes about 2 dozen hors d'oeuvres

Ingredients

1

/4 pound coarsely grated extra-sharp Cheddar (1 1/2 cups)

1

cup all-purpose flour

3

/4 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons

1

/2 teaspoon salt

Rounded 1/8 teaspoon cayenne

1

1/2 tablespoons milk

Need to make a substitution?

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Preheat oven to 350°F with racks in upper and lower thirds.

    Step 2

    Pulse cheese, flour, butter, salt, and cayenne in a food processor until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add milk and pulse until dough forms a ball.

    Step 3

    Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin into a 12- by 10-inch rectangle (1/8 inch thick). Cut dough with a lightly floured pizza wheel or lightly floured sharp knife into 1/3-inch-wide strips. Carefully transfer to 2 ungreased baking sheets, arranging strips 1/4 inch apart. (If strips tear, pinch back together.)

    Step 4

    Bake, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until pale golden, 15 to 18 minutes. Cool completely on baking sheets on racks, about 15 minutes.

  2. What to drink:

    Step 5

    Haggipavlu Nemea '04