Cheese straws
Short, crumbly pastry sticks made with plenty of mature cheddar, a little mustard and a pinch of cayenne, baked until golden and crisp.
Method
- 1
Mix the flour, mustard powder, cayenne and salt in a bowl.
- 2
Rub in the cold butter with your fingertips until the mixture looks like fine crumbs.
- 3
Stir in 100 g of the cheddar, keeping the rest for the top.
- 4
Beat the egg yolk with the cold water, add it to the bowl and gather everything into a firm dough with your hands.
- 5
Flatten the dough into a rectangle, wrap it and chill until firm.
- 6
Heat the oven to 200°C and line two baking trays with baking paper.
- 7
Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle about 5 mm thick.
- 8
Scatter over the remaining cheddar and press it in lightly with the rolling pin.
- 9
Cut into strips about 1 cm wide and 12 cm long and lay them on the trays, slightly apart.
- 10
Bake until golden and crisp at the edges.
- 11
Leave on the trays until firm, as they break easily while hot, then move to a rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Use the strongest cheddar you can find. A mild cheese gets lost in the pastry.
- For twists, hold each end of a strip and turn them in opposite directions before laying it on the tray.
- They keep for 4 days in an airtight tin. Crisp them up for a few minutes in a hot oven if they soften.
Equipment
Mixing bowl, Grater, Rolling pin, Sharp knife, 2 baking trays, Baking paper, Wire rack