SAVOURY CHEESE COOKIES...Crisp, tasty nibbles!

"Cheese, wine, and a friend must be old to be good."
Cuban Proverb

SAVOURY CHEESE COOKIES

A favourite savoury cookie that has a made permanent place at the kids birthday party table. It's crisp, it's buttery, it's cheesy...& attractive too. I usually make these with sesame seeds on top, but this year have tried some with poppy seeds as my friend from Kiev got me a bag of poppy seeds! This recipe is adapted from one of my oft used cookie books, "The Great Big Cookie Book". The book has a few other savoury bites too, which I plan to try in the near future.

I love playing around with cookie cutters; different shapes, scallops, shapes inside shapes...and this time did some miniature nibbles too. Heard they go great with wine, and make attractive finger food. Must add that a friend of mine from school loves these cookies with my yogurt dip!

Festive Nibbles...

Savoury Treats...

Poppy 'n' Sesame...hand in hand!

The recipe as adapted from 'The Great Big Cookie Book'

Ingredients:

Flour - 1 cups

Salt - 1/2 tsp

Paprika - 1/2 tsp (or chilli powder)

Butter - 1/2 cup / cold

Cheddar cheese - 75 gms / grated

Egg - 1 beaten lightly with a fork with 1 tsp of mustard

Chilled water - 1-2 tbsps

Poppy seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds to decorate

Method:

• 
  
  Sift the flour + salt + paprika.
  Cut in the butter into the flour mix to make a breadcrumbs like mix. Add the grated cheese and stir through with a fork.
  Fold in half the beaten egg mix with a fork. (Reserve the other half of the egg for the glaze)
  Sprinkle water, a tbsp at a time, and bring the mixture together to form a soft, firm dough. Knead lightly until smooth.
  Preheat the oven to 200C. Grease 2 baking sheets.
  Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to about 1/4" thickness and cut into desired shapes.
  Place on greased trays. Paint the reserved egg mixture over the cut-out cookies, sprinkle with sesame and or poppy seeds.
  Bake till golden brown. (Approximately 12-15 minutes)
  Remove from oven and cool on racks.
  Store in an airtight box
  Makes 4-5 dozen cookies.
  Cute little mini bites...