Ingredients
- 1 lb all purpose flour
- 1/2 lb butter
- 1 cup water
- 4 oz cheddar cheese grated medium fine
- 1/4 tsp celery seeds(optional)
- 1/4 tsp red chilli powder
- 1 beaten egg
- 2 oz parmigiano cheese grated medium fine
Instructions
- Add the flour in a medium size bowl.
- Divide the butter in four.
- Cut one portion into small pea size pieces. Rub this into the flour. Place the rest of the butter in a cool place until required. (You can grate the butter if you want).
- Make a well in the centre of the flour and add the water, mix to a fairly stiff dough, using a fork.
- Sprinkle board, rolling pin and your hands with flour. turn out dough on to the board and sprinkle with flour again.
- Knead dough briskly at least 5 minutes until smooth and silky.
- Sprinkle the dough with flour, cover with a damp cloth, and leave to rest on the board for about 10 minutes.
- First rolling: Roll out the dough to an oblong strip about 10” to 12”.
- Dab the top 2/3 of the dough with 1/2 x 1/4 inch pieces of butter, keeping the pieces in rows and leaving a 1/2” margin all around.
- Fold the uncovered 1/3 of the dough upwards and the top 1/3 downwards and over the bottom fold.
- With the rolling pin, lightly press the 3 open edges together to seal.
- Second rolling: Brush of any surplus flour. Turn the dough so that the longer sealed edge is on the left.
- Roll out the dough to a 10 x 12 inch strip.
- Dab on third portion of the butter, as for the second portion. Fold and seal edges as before. Plastic wrap the dough or put the dough in a plastic bag and refrigerator for 20 minutes.
- Third rolling: as for the second rolling using the last portion of the butter. Rest as before.
- Fourth rolling, as for the 2nd rolling, sprinkle grated cheese, celery seeds and red chilli powder on the top 2/3 of the dough and fold it in 1/3 as before. Let it rest as before.
- Fifth Rolling: Roll out to 1/4 “ thick, brush the pastry with a beaten egg, sprinkle with parmigiano cheese. With a pastry wheel or a sharp knife cut into strips or square to the desired size. Space 1/2 inch apart on a baking sheet. refrigerate for 30 min.
- Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 15 minutes till the cookies are golden brown and cooked through.
Note:
If you do not want to make the pastry, you can buy the frozen puff pastry from the grocery store.
do Step 16 and 17.
Variation:
Khara Biscuit: Roll the pastry 5 times, cut it into desired shape and bake.
Sweet Cookies:
Mix 2 oz brown sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon powder.
Cheese Straws:
Using a pastry wheel or a sharp knife cut dough into 1/2 x 12 inch strips; twist into spirals.
Space 1/2 inch apart on a baking sheet.
Press ends onto the sheets to prevent straws from straightening. Refrigerate for 30 mins.
Bake as above.