Easy Peasy Cheese Straws

INGREDIENTS

140g Plain flour – sifted into a bowl.

½ teaspoon of salt

70g of butter or margarine if you prefer to use this – colder the better!

70g of grated hard cheese – stronger flavour the better.

1.5 teaspoons of paprika – the best results are to use smoked sweet paprika.  If you don’t like paprika then use freshly ground black pepper and a pinch of ground cayenne pepper

1 egg – beaten

METHOD

1] Sift the flour into a bowl, add the salt and paprika [ or whichever spice you are using] and mix well together.

2] Cut your butter/margarine into small pieces or grate into the bowl of flour and using your hands rub the ingredients all together until it resembles fine breadcrumbs

3] Now add the grated cheese into the mixture and stir well to spread the cheese evenly throughout the dry mixture.  Make a well in the centre and add the beaten egg into the hole you have created, mix well to incorporate all the dry mixture into a large ball. [ I use a knife to do this in a clockwise motion until it all binds together] If it is too dry and not sticking together add a teaspoon of cold water and finish off pulling the mixture into one ball by using your hand.

4] Switch your oven on to preheat it Gas 7/190C/FAN 170

5] You now need to have a flat floured surface, to put your ball of dough onto, now roll out to a large square.  You need this to be quite thin but still enable you to handle it.  Taking a sharp knife cut into long straws – you are aiming for each one to be about 10cm each.

6] Take a baking tray and either grease it or cover with baking paper and lift your cheese straws onto it, you can twist some of them slightly to add interest [ hold the bottom of one and turn the other end to make a slightly curvy straw.]  this mixture should make at approx. 32 straws.  Put the baking tray into your preheated oven and cook for 10-15 minutes until they are golden in colour and quite firm.

7] Once cooked remove the tray from the oven and allow them to cool on the baking tray for 10 minutes before gently lifting them and putting onto a baking tray until they are cold.  I must admit they are lovely warm straight from the oven, but I defy anyone to just eat one! – Once cooled can be stored in airtight containers for a few days!

TIP For a quirky marmite twist leave out the paprika/cayenne and when you roll the pastry out into a large sheet thinly spread marmite over half of it, fold and re roll back to full size then continue as before.