Lee Bros' Cheese Straws

Name: Lee Bros' Cheese Straws
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 1 batch
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups about 6 ounces grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese; 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened and cut into 4 pieces; 3/4 cup flour, plus more for dusting; 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes; 1 tablespoon half-and-half

Submitted by sofie-a-toast

"Adapted from Lee Bros. Southern Cookbook."

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photo by Nif_H

Ready In:: 30mins
Ingredients:: 6
Yields:: 1 batch

ingredients

1 ¹⁄₂ cups about 6 ounces grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened and cut into 4 pieces
³⁄₄ cup flour, plus more for dusting
¹⁄₂ teaspoon kosher salt
¹⁄₂ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon half-and-half

directions

Preheat oven to 350°F.
In a food processor, combine the cheese, butter, flour, salt and red pepper in five 5-second pulses until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the half-and-half and process until the dough forms a ball, about 10 seconds.
On a lightly floured surface, using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the dough into an 8- by 10-inch rectangle that is 1/8-inch thick. With a sharp knife (or a pizza or pastry wheel; both worked great), cut the dough into thin 8-inch strips, each 1/4- to 1/3-inch wide (dipping the knife in flour after every few inches ensures a clean cut). Gently transfer the strips to an ungreased cookie sheet (though I lined mine with parchment), leaving at least 1/4-inch between them. The dough may sag or may break occasionally in the transfer, but don’t be concerned — just do your best. The straws can be any length, from 2 to 10 inches.
Bake the straws on the middle rack for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the ends are barely browned. Remove from the oven and set the cookie sheet on a rack to cool.
Serve at room temperature. Cheese straws will keep in the refrigerator, in a sealed container, for two days. They will not last an hour at a party.

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Reviews

Yum, yum and more yum! I love a good cheese straw recipe, being from the South and all, and these were tasty too! I've never used crushed red pepper before, but it worked out great! I did add a pinch of cayenne, as I yearn for heat when eating these, and was unsure how the crushed red pepper would flavor the dough. Thanks so much for sharing, sofie-a-toast. I've put these in my 'tried and true' cookbook, and look forward to making these again!

alligirl
Wow! I made these for my daughter's grade 1 class party. They were devoured in 15 minutes. These were extremely easy to make and took no time at all. They were light, flaky and oh so cheesy! Can't say they're exactly health food, but these will definitely be making another appearance at our next party. Thanks for the recipe sofie-a-toast.

Lazarus
I have never had a cheese straw, let alone eaten one. Boy, have I been missing out! I thought I had crushed red pepper flakes but I guess I don't. I followed alligirl's suggestion and added some cayenne, about 1/8 teaspoon. It added a great kick. I made this as directed and added an extra teaspoon of cream. I also made a rookie mistake and handled them a little too soon, breaking more than half of them. They still taste good though! Made for my adopted chef for PAC 2011. Thanks sofie-a-toast! :)

Nif_H