CHEESE STRAWS


MAKES: about 20
PREPARATION TIME: 20 minutes, plus 1 hour chilling 
COOKING TIME: 10 minutes

Ingredients

 

  • 125g cold unsalted butter, diced, plus extra for greasing (optional)
  • 55g/2oz cold lard, diced
  • 250g/9oz/2 cups white spelt flour, or half white and half wholegrain spelt flour
  • ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
  • ¼ tsp mustard powder
  • a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
  • a pinch of freshly ground white pepper
  • 150g/5½oz/1 1/3 cups strong Cheddar cheese, finely grated, plus extra to garnish
  • 1 egg, beaten

 

Methods/steps

 

Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/Gas 5 and lightly grease a baking sheet or line with baking paper.

Put the flour and spices in a large bowl and rub in the butter and lard, using your fingertips, until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the grated Cheddar and stir together, then add the egg and 1 tablespoon ice-cold water. Bring together, using a wooden spoon, adding a little more water if the mixture looks dry. Lightly knead the dough for a few seconds until smooth and there are no major lumps of dry mixture.

Shape the dough into a rectangle about 40 x 30cm/16 x 12in and cut into 7 ½ cm / 3 inch slices. Put on the prepared baking sheets, cover with a towel and chill for 1 hour or until the straws are firm.

Sprinkle the extra grated cheese on top, then bake in the oven for 10 minutes, or until the biscuits are golden brown and feel sandy to the touch. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

 



Extracted from Spelt by Roger Saul © Roger Saul 2015
Published by Nourish Books, London. 
Hardback £16.99
Commissioned photography by Lara Holmes & Neil White

Don't forget to get your spelt ingredients:

14th March 2019

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