HOMEMADE CHEESE STRAWS
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen’s Cheese Straw recipe.
1 1/2 cups grated sharp Cheddar cheese ( I used white)
4 tablespoons butter, softened and cut into 4 pieces
3/4 cup flour, plus more for dusting
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (you could do without this, I think)
1 tablespoon half & half (was told milk would probably work just as well)
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a food processor, combine the cheese, butter, flour, salt and red pepper in five 5-second pulses. Add the cream and process until the dough forms a ball, about 10 seconds.
On a lightly floured surface, using a lightly flours rolling pin, roll the dough into an 8 x 10″ rectangle about 1/8th inch or a little thinner. (I don’t know how anyone rolls something into a rectangle…mine is kind of round and I just used it). With a sharp knife (or pizza cutter) cut the dough into thin strips about 1/4-1/3 inch wide.
Transfer carefully to an ungreased cookie sheet. Leaving some space between them. They may sag or break, in the transfer, but no big deal, just do the best you can. Make them any size you want. (You could also use small cookie cutters. Put a hole in them or “fork” them for the “expansion”.)
Bake at 350° for 12-15 minutes or until ends are turning brown. Remove from oven and set cookie sheet on a rack to cool.
Serve at room temp.
They will keep in air tight container in the refrigerator about 2 days.
I really like them and so does my husband.
