Cheese straws
Flaky, buttery cheese straws are a party hit with kids and grown-ups. Crank up the mustard and pepper if you want more zing.
Ingredients
- 375g/13oz plain flour
- pinch salt
- 225g/8oz butter, diced
- 150g/5½oz mature cheddar, grated
- 50g/1¾oz freshly grated Parmesan (or a similar vegetarian hard cheese)
- pinch English mustard powder
- small pinch cayenne pepper
- 2 free-range eggs, yolks only
Method
Sift the flour and a pinch of salt into a bowl. Using your fingertips, rub in the butter until all the lumps are gone and the texture is like fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the cheese, mustard powder, cayenne, and egg yolks. Add 4-5 tablespoons of cold water and mix to a firm dough.
Wrap in cling film or a reusable plastic bag and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5.
Line a baking sheet with baking paper. Roll out the dough to a square, roughly the thickness of a £2 coin. Cut the square in half, then cut each half into 1cm/½in strips.
Transfer carefully onto the lined baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes, until crisp, then leave to cool on the tray.
Recipe Tips
Freeze the butter and grate it into the pastry to make it easier to rub in while keeping it really cold. You could also make this recipe in a food processer, but be careful not to mix the pastry for too long. Just pulse it until it comes together.
