Grace's Cheese Straws
Ingredients

250g plain flour
110g margarine
110g grated cheese
1 large egg
Pinch of chilli powder – optional
Pinch of salt to taste

Cooking Steps

Step 1

  1. Rub the flour, margarine and grated cheese together until they resemble fine breadcrumbs.
  2. Lightly beat the egg with a fork. Add the salt and chilli, and mix the egg with the dry ingredients to produce a firm dough. 
  3. If the dough is too dry and crumbly, add a few drops of water and knead well.

Step 2

  1. Divide the dough into 3 equal parts. Roll the pastry into a square to a thickness of 7mm using very little dusting flour. 
  2. Cut the pastry into thin finger cheese straws using a pizza cutter.
  3. Twist each straw lightly and place on a lightly greased baking tray.  Bake in a hot oven 200C, Gas mark 6 for 10 minutes. 


Chef's Tip:  If serving at a cocktail party, you can make pastry ‘napkin’ rings to serve your cheese straws. These savoury straws pair wonderfully with crisp sparkling wines, dry sherries or a classic gin and tonic.

Shape the Ring:

Cut the large circle:  Use a large biscuit cutter to stamp out a large circle of pastry.

Cut the center:  Use a small cutter to cut out and remove the middle section, leaving a pastry ring.

Bake the pastry ring alongside your cheese straws until both turn a pale brown.

Once cooled, gather the cheese straws and thread them through the baked pastry ring.

Place a few assembled rings on a tiered platter or scatter them near the bar area so guests can easily grab one while mingling.