Rec: Herb Gougeres
I made these herb gougeres a couple years ago for a party and they were well received.
Herb Gougeres
Makes 4 dozen
Choux pastry:
1-1/4 cups nonfat milk or water
10 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
5 large eggs
1 cup semisoft cheese, such as Pierce Pt. or Manchego, cut into small pieces
2 teaspoons smoked Spanish paprika
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
10 chives, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
Topping:
1 large egg
Pinch salt
Grated cheese for sprinkling
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter two baking sheets or line them with parchment paper. Combine milk, butter and salt in a large saucepan over high heat, stirring until melted. Reduce heat to medium, add flour all at once, and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until mixture pulls away from the sides of the pan. Continue to stir for 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for just 1 minute.
2. Stir in eggs one at a time, making sure each is incorporated before adding the next. The mixture may appear to separate, but it will become smooth, thick and shiny. Stir in the cheese, paprika, pepper and chives and mix well.
3. Transfer the mixture to a pastry bag and pipe 1-inch mounds onto the baking sheet, leaving an inch between each.
4. For the topping, whisk the egg with a pinch of salt, brush it over each mound of batter. Lightly sprinkle with cheese, if desired, or coarse salt. Bake until puffed, crisp and golden, about 30 minutes. Serve hot or warm, or let cool completely and store in an airtight container for up to a day. Gougeres can be crisped in a 350-degree oven for 5 minutes if they’ve been stored.
-- Courtesy Elisabeth Prueitt from Tartine Bakery and Sue Conley and Peggy Smith from Cowgirl Creamery, published in "Harvest to Heat" by Darryl Estrine and Kelly Kochendorfer (Taunton Press, 296 pp., $40)
