Appetizers
Cheddar Gougères

1 cup cold water 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon-sized pats 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup all-purpose flour

5 large eggs 6 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, finely grated (about 1-1/2 cups 2 tablespoons finely chopped dill (or 2 tablespoons dried parsley plus 1 tablespoon salt

Preheat oven to 375F (190C).

Bring water, butter and salt to a boil in a 3-qt heavy saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium. Add flour all at once and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture is smooth and pulls away from the sides of the pan, about 2 minutes.

Remove from heat, cool slightly, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. The batter will appear to separate, but will become smooth. The mixture should be glossy and just stiff enough to form soft peaks and fall softly from the spoon. If the batter is too thick, add water, one teaspoon at a time, until it reaches the proper consistency.

Stir in cheese and dill (and/or other stuffing, see note below).

Lightly spray two large baking sheets with cooking spray. Spoon level tablespoons of batter onto each sheet, one inch apart. Bake in the center of the oven, rotating and switching the position of the sheets halfway through baking, until puffed, golden and crisp, about 30 minutes total.

Serve warm, or refrigerate, covered, up to two days, and reheat in a 350F (175C) oven for 10 minutes.

Notes

Gougères are an eclair-type pastry, traditionally made with Gruyere or Swiss cheese, but I like to combination of sharp Cheddar with the dill. They're also excellent with tiny shrimp or a spinach stuffing mixture.

Adapted from Gourmet August 2003