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Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cook Time: 40 Minutes |
Ready In: 50 Minutes Servings: 6 |
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From David Lebovitz' blog. Do not use extra-large or jumbo eggs, as there will be too much moisture and the puffs will deflate. Any hard, crumbly or gratable cheese will work; Lebovitz recommends using about 1/3 Parmigiano or Pecorino, which makes the tops crackly-brown. Be sure all your ingredients are ready to go before starting; if you're still grating the cheese when the water is hot, you will lose too much water. Ingredients:
1/2 cup water |
3 tablespoons butter, cubed |
1/4 teaspoon salt |
1 pinch fresh ground black pepper or 1 pinch chili powder |
1/2 cup flour |
2 large eggs |
12 finely minced chives or 1 -2 teaspoon minced fresh thyme |
1/2 cup grated gruyere cheese (or other hard aged cheese like mimolette) |
1/4 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese or 1/4 cup pecorino romano cheese |
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 425°F Line a baking sheet with parchment or a Silpat.
2. Heat the water, butter, salt and pepper until the butter melts. Add the flour all at once and beat vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the pan into a smooth ball. Remove from heat and let rest 2 minutes.
3. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating vigorously to ensure the eggs don't 'cook.' It will appear lumpy at first, then smooth out. (You can also do this in a food processor or electric mixer.).
4. Add most of the gruyere and all of the parmigiano, as well as the chives; stir until well-mixed.
5. Scrape the mixture into a pastry bag with a wide plain tip (or a freezer bag with one corner cut off). Pipe small mounds (about the size of a small cherry tomato, maybe 1 tbsp each), evenly spaced, on the baking sheet. Sprinkle each puff with a pinch of the remaining cheese. (You can prepare up to this point and refrigerate, covered, for several hours.).
6. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes, then turn heat down to 375°F and bake another 20-25 minutes until they are deep golden brown all over. For extra-crispy puffs, poke the tip of a knife into the side of each puff about 5 minutes before they are done. Best served warm.
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