-WALNUT AND­ BLUE CHEESE STRAWS

Whereas the point ofordinary cheese straws is their lightness (hence their name), these are crisp and crunchy. If made with white flour, they are also very light; if with a proportion of brown flour, slightly more solid but crunchier.

I have tried turning them into more decorative twists, but do not recommend it. Fortidy twists, you need to make the pastry in a slightly different way which produces a less crisp result: I have given precedence to eating quality. Makes 40-50.

- INGREDIENTS3 '12 ozll00 9 walnut pieces

6 oz/190 9 Danisn Blue cneese

PARTIES AND DINNER-PARTIES

6 oz/190 g white self-raising ffour or 4 oz/125 g white self-raising ffour and 2 oz/50 g granary ffour, plus extra for dusting

3 oz/90 g butter straight from the refrigerator

RolUng-pln (or clean milk or beer bottle) Board or surface for rolUng out Baking-sheet

- METHOD -

I Crush the nuts fairly finely. Finely grate the cheese.

2 Mix together the flours ifnecessary, then add and blend in a sprinkling of pepperand % teaspoon salt (unless you are using heavily salted butter, in which case reduce the salt to 112 teaspoon). Mix with the nuts and cheese.

3 Dusta rolling-pin and rolling-out surface with flour. Chop the cold butter into 8 thin slices. Make a well in the flour mixture and measure into it 4 tablespoons very cold water. Tum with a spoon to mix, then wash your hands and form it into dough by hand. Roll it out into an oblong. Put 2 slices of butter on top, sprinkle with a little white flour and fold in half. Repeat the rolling and folding three times. Leave to rest for 15-20 minutes in the refrigerator.

4 Pre-heat the oven to 400°F, 200°C, Gas Mark 6. Line the baking-sheet with aluminium foil and grease very lightly with margarine. Roll the dough into an oblong slightly less than 114 inch/5 mm thick (but no thinner). Cut into fingers about 112 inch/l cm wide and 2'12-2% inches/6-7 cm long. Gather up the trimmings, re-roll them and cut more straws. Repeat, keeping the rolling-pin and surface dusted with flour, until all the dough is used. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned.