Nibbles with a Cheesy Crunch
Preheat the oven to 180ºC
- 200g all plain flour
- ¼ level teaspoon cayenne
- ¼ level teaspoon dry mustard powder
- 150g butter, cut in cubes
- 100g Parmesan cheese, grated*
- 1 medium egg, separated
- Pinch of salt
- Poppy & sesame seeds
Sift the flour, cayenne, mustard & a good pinch of salt into a large bowl. Rub in the butter and then mix in the cheese.Add the egg yolk & 2 tablespoons of water mix until it all comes together, and then knead by hand until smooth.Form into an oblong and cover with food wrap and chill for 30 minutes.Roll out about ⅓ of the dough to 3mm thick between two layers of food wrap.Using the wrap saves using extra flour for rolling.The extra flour prevents crispness.Use small pastry cutters to cut into stars, crescents or circles.Place on baking sheets.Lightly beat the egg white and coat the top of each biscuit.Sprinkle one third with poppy seeds, one third with sesame seeds and leave the remainder plain.**Bake for 12-14 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool.
Store in an airtight container. Yield about 50 small biscuits
*If you prefer use half and half Extra Mature Cheddar & Parmesan cheese.
** As an alternative brush some with Bovril or Marmite instead of egg white.
This is a very interesting recipe. I love cheese anywhere in food.
Well now I learned something this morning. Never knew that about extra flour used for rolling stopped the crispness. Thank you Grannymar.
Every day in every way i am getting wiser and wiser thanks to you. 😉
Gaelikaa – I wish that I could eat more cheese.
Rhyleysgranny – We learn from each other!
I’m sure they’re lovely but . . .too much effort. Baking is not my forte. I’m off to buy some Cheesey Crostoli or parmesan Lavosh.
I love cheese straws so this should be good….. Love the Marmite idea too!
I was taught that the best English cheese for coking was Lancashire Cheese. I wonder why that is?
Last year we bought some fantastic Parmesan from a chap on Borough Market …. made from milk from Swiss Brown Cows in Italy… it was Mmm numh numh!
Grannymar,
I’m afraid, I’m with Baino on this one.
There are so many nice nibbles on the market these days that baking my own, is way down the list of priorities.
I’d love if you, or Baino or anyone for that matter, could give me some tips on how best to do a nice ‘glazed ham’ for over Christmas?
I hear people rave about it but I’ve never been able to produce a ham worth talking about 🙁
Hope you don’t mind me asking here, Grannymar
Do you know if these freeze well, GM?
Living alone that is important info, I love keeping good stuff on hand for drop-ins. It sounds so delish and easy – I’d use my food processor this this.
XO
WWW
Baino – I can understand you not spending time in the kitchen during hot weather.
Magpie – I never tried Lancashire Cheese in cooking. Elly brought me a piece of Parmesan from Italy and I used it sparing (grating a very small amount) in some dishes, usually as a topping. I love the taste and smell, but need to be careful not to upset the tummy.
Steph – You have plenty on your plate already. You solved my recipe for next Monday….. ‘glazed ham’ it will be!
WWW – I have never tried to freeze them. For smaller quantities I half or quarter the ingredients. I am sure you could freeze the uncooked dough in a block, or try to cut the biscuits into shapes and open freeze before boxing.
I’ve learned what that Marmite stuff is at last. My ex-brit neighbor the other day was putting it in her tea as we were chatting. She has been a fountain of knowledge, as have you. Thank you both!
Brighid – we all learn from each other.
Oh, the Marmite sounds perfect. I would live on Marmite and cheese if I could afford it (the stuff is outrageously expensive here).
This sounds like a great dough to have on hand ready to bake as needed. It sounds like it would keep well (for a few days anyhow) sufficiently chilled.
I’ve been looking for a recipe like this to have with baked brie….thanks! xx
Mrs E – Until today, I never realised that Marmite was so popular.
Helen – I bet my Elly would love the baked brie.