Special Cheese Straws
Why I Love This Recipe
The Heritage of Southern Cooking provides this recipe
Ingredients You'll Need
1 lb. aged sharp Cheddar cheese
8 Tbsp. (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
Directions
Grate the cheese by hand or in a food processor. Cut the butter into pieces and blend it with the cheese, in the processor or with an electric mixer, until smooth.
Add the cayenne pepper, salt and flour. Mix well.
Chill the dough for at least 1 hour, so it will be easier to handle.
You can prepare the straws with a cookie press, using the thin serrated ribbon blade to create 3-inch straws.
Or you can form the dough into small balls, then roll them into thin rounds.
Use the tines of a fork to etch grooves into the rounds.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Lay the straws on a lightly greased baking sheet and bake until done, about 30 minutes.
The straws should have a sligth tinge of brown on the bottom but not on the top.
If they brown too much, they will toughen. Makes 90 straws
