Cheese Straws Recipe

Cheese Straws

Recipe by Jackie Cameron

The reverberation of vuvuzelas, and motor vehicles of all makes and shapes sporting a flag or three, heralded a national unity unseen since 1995. The 2010 Fifa Soccer World Cup has arrived – and anticipation is behind us.  Continued enthusiasm, spirit and ubuntu are inspiring and I’m stirred by a warm, fuzzy proudly-South African sensation. With the month-long festivities and little time to indulge in cookouts, I suggest a selection of sensational bites.

Ensure you always have available thinly sliced biltong, the cheesiest-of-cheesy cheese straws and a selection of lightly-salted hot nuts. An assortment of olives and pickled onions are also an option. These quick-and-easy nibbles are the basics of my 'emergency kit'.

Yields : 40

Ingredients :

30g Gorgonzola Cheese, Crumbed

250 ml finely grated Cheddar Cheese

125 ml finely grated Pecorino or Parmesan Cheese

250 ml Cake Flour

5ml Durban Masala or Paprika

2ml Freshly Ground Black Pepper

100g Salted Butter, cut into blocks

1 Egg Yolk

Water

Method :

1) Pre-heat the oven to 220ºC.  Line a tray with baking paper and set aside

2) Using your fingertips mix all the cheeses together.  Then add the flour, masala, salt and pepper

3) Rub in the butter amount and then add the egg yolk

4) Bring this all together with a few drops of water to form a dough

5) Roll this dough out onto a floured surface and cut the straws into desired sizes.  (We do a height of: 5 mm, length of: 10cm and a width of : 1 cm)

6) Place the straws onto the tray and refrigerate for 20 minutes

7) Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown in colour and cooked within

8) Remove from the oven and serve

Please post your comments and any food-related questions below.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Jackie Cameron 
Head Chef 
Hartford House
www.hartford.co.za
jackie@hartford.co.za
+27 33 263 2713