Cheese straws are a traditional food of England and the Southern United States. They are eaten as an appetizer or snack. They are made as cut strips, or by using a cookie press, from dough made with butter, flour, salt, cheddar cheese and cayenne pepper. Variations use different types of cheese, spices and nuts.
General Region : South
- American goulash | A hearty and flavorful stew is a culinary powerhouse
- City chicken | A crispy, golden-brown explosion of flavor that’s perfect for a cold winter day
- Grillades | A taste of the Deep South that will transport you to a simpler time
- Barbecue in Alabama | The tangy, smoky, and finger-licking good taste of the South
Associated Region: Southern United States
Description : A savory biscuit-like snack made with flour, butter, salt, cheddar cheese, and cayenne pepper; sometimes the dough is extruded through a cookie press before being baked.
Cheese straws 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 to prepare Cheese straws
- 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.
