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    Home / Appetizers

    Sage, Thyme and Mimolette Cheese Straws

    Published Dec 16, 2010

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    a glass full of cheese straws
    Growing up in LA, I was bound to meet many interesting people. On a camping trip in my late teens, I chatted with a friend of a friend who described trying crack cocaine for the first (and luckily, last) time. He said the high was so pleasurable and so fleeting, that had he any money at all he would have spent every last cent of it on more crack without giving it a second thought.

    grated cheese
    While I've never tried the stuff, I do pride myself on not having a particularly addictive personality. Certainly the thought of never eating chocolate again would make me weep with regret, and I did stay up until 4 a.m. every night while reading a certain series of paranormal teen chick lit which shall remain nameless.

    flour being mixed in a bowl
    But when Jay and I munched our way through seconds, thirds, and eventually... elevenths of these cheesy straws, we dubbed them 'crack sticks,' in reference to their addictive properties.

    ingredients being mixed in a bowl
    The straws were destined for a cast party, and shortly after setting them out on the table next to the pretzels, pita and hummus, three separate lithe dancers sauntered up and confided that it was taking all of their willpower not to run away with the rest.

    cheese stick dough
    The straws come from Jerry Traunfeld's gorgeous book The Herbal Kitchen, an accessible collection of delectable recipes all containing liberal amounts of fresh herbs. When I saw the photo of the green and gold-flecked sticks nestled next to a Sage Rush cocktail, I knew I would have to make them straight away.

    cheese sticks being rolled
    For undisclosed reasons, I have come into a rather large sum of bright orangemimolette cheese cubes. Aged for 18 months, it is similar in texture to a parmesan or aged cheddar but with a milder flavor more closely resembling the mellow nuttiness of a gruyere.

    cheese straws before baking
    As the recipe originally called for gruyere, I thought it the perfect opportunity to give the cheese straws a try. The dough came together as quickly as pie dough or scones, rested in the fridge for 15 minutes, and was easily rolled out, sliced, and rolled into straws. Twenty minutes later they emerged from the oven in all their cheesy glory, every bit as addictive as one might imagine. Crisp, salty, and savory, they are satisfying to munch on with a glass of beer, Prosecco, or perhaps a gin and tonic.

    a row of cheese sticks
    This recipe seems infinitely adaptable. Try using a different hard cheese for the mimolette, switching up the herbs, and optionally using other flours in place of the rye, such as kamut, cornmeal, or buckwheat. Other combinations I'm plotting are:

    • rosemary asiago
    • parmesan with lemon zest and cracked pepper
    • dry jack and smoked paprika
    • manchego and chile flakes
    • sharp cheddar with poppy seeds
    • gruyere with truffle oil

    cheese sticks piled up
    However you decide to gussy them up, resist the urge to hoard these tasty treats all to yourself. Bring them to a potluck, arrange them in a cup, and watch them disappear.You might consider telling people, 'the first one's free...'

    top down shot of cheese straws
    Luckily, unlike the real thing, a 'crack stick' habit won't set you back your life's savings. And the high lasts a bit longer, too.

    cheese straws in a glass

    More Cheese Recipes:

    • Squash and Sage Gougeres
    • Cheddar Herb Biscuits
    • Bacon, Smoked Cheddar and Beer Scones
    • Creamy Cardoon Mac and Cheese {gluten-free}

    *Bojon appétit! For more Bojon Gourmet in your life, follow along on Instagram,  Facebook, or Pinterest, purchase my gluten-free cookbook Alternative Baker, or subscribe to receive new posts via email. And if you make this herby cheese straw recipe, I’d love to know. Leave a comment and rating below, and tag your Instagram snaps @The_Bojon_Gourmet  and  #bojongourmet.*

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    Herby Cheese Straws

    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    These cheese straws are perfect for parties!
    Alanna Taylor-Tobin
    Prep Time: 20 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Chilling time: 15 minutes
    Total: 40 minutes
    Servings: 48 servings.

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup all purpose flour
    • 1/2 cup rye, spelt, or whole wheat flour
    • 1 teaspoon salt (kosher or sea)
    • 2 tablespoons finely chopped sage leaves
    • 1 tablespoon finely chopped thyme leaves
    • 1 stick unsalted butter, cold, cut into 1/4" dice (4 ounces, 8 tablespoons)
    • 3 ounces Mimolette, or other hard cheese (see headnote), shredded on the medium side of a box grater (1 cup)
    • 1/2 cup ice water

    Instructions

    • In a large bowl, combine the flours, salt and herbs. Add the butter, and rub with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse meal, with some barley-sized butter bits remaining. (Alternately, you can do this in a food processor or stand mixer, but add in the water by hand to avoid over-processing.) Toss in the shredded cheese, then sprinkle in the water bit by bit, tossing with your fingers or a wooden spoon, until the dough begins to clump together and no loose, floury bits remain. (You may not need all the water.) Gather the dough into an oblong, flatten into a disc, wrap in plastic, and chill for 15 minutes. (You can probably chill it for up to a couple of days, if you like, or freeze for up to a couple of months. If you do either, let the dough stand at room temp until soft enough to roll out.)
    • Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven, and preheat to 400º. Line two sheet pans with parchment paper.
    • Lightly dust a work surface with rye flour, and roll out the dough into a rectangle with a long side facing you, about 5 x 24" and 1/4" thick. Using a pizza wheel or chef's knife, cut into 1/2" wide strips. Roll the strips under your fingers into straws, lengthening them to about 10" long, and place on the pan an inch or so apart.
    • Bake the straws until golden brown, 18 - 22 minutes, rotating front to back and top to bottom halfway through. Let cool completely on the pans (they will crisp up as they cool), then store in an airtight container.
    • These are awesome on the day they are baked, and will keep, in an airtight container at room temperature, for a day or two. You can re-crisp them in a 300º oven if they soften.

    Notes

    Adapted from The Herbal Kitchen.
    Use any hard cheese that you like the taste of in place of the Mimolette, such as gruyere, aged cheddar, asiago, dry jack, or manchego.
    For some possible variations, see the above post.
    Nutritional values are based on one of forty eight straws.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 38kcalCarbohydrates: 2gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 6mgSodium: 59mgPotassium: 11mgVitamin A: 85IUVitamin C: 0.2mgCalcium: 16mgIron: 0.2mg
    Making this? I'd love to see!Tag your snaps @The_Bojon_Gourmet and #bojongourmet!

    Herby Cheese Straws

    Adapted from The Herbal Kitchen

    Makes 4 dozen

    Use any hard cheese that you like the taste of in place of the Mimolette, such as gruyere, aged cheddar, asiago, dry jack, or manchego. For some possible variations, see the above post.

    1 cup all purpose flour
    1/2 cup rye, spelt, or whole wheat flour
    1 teaspoon salt (kosher or sea)
    2 tablespoons finely chopped sage leaves
    1 tablespoon finely chopped thyme leaves
    1 stick (4 ounces, 8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cold, cut into 1/4" dice
    3 ounces Mimolette, or other hard cheese (see headnote), shredded on the medium side of a box grater (1 cup)
    1/2 cup ice water

    In a large bowl, combine the flours, salt and herbs. Add the butter, and rub with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse meal, with some barley-sized butter bits remaining. (Alternately, you can do this in a food processor or stand mixer, but add in the water by hand to avoid over-processing.) Toss in the shredded cheese, then sprinkle in the water bit by bit, tossing with your fingers or a wooden spoon, until the dough begins to clump together and no loose, floury bits remain. (You may not need all the water.) Gather the dough into an oblong, flatten into a disc, wrap in plastic, and chill for 15 minutes. (You can probably chill it for up to a couple of days, if you like, or freeze for up to a couple of months. If you do either, let the dough stand at room temp until soft enough to roll out.)

    Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven, and preheat to 400º. Line two sheet pans with parchment paper.

    Lightly dust a work surface with rye flour, and roll out the dough into a rectangle with a long side facing you, about 5 x 24" and 1/4" thick. Using a pizza wheel or chef's knife, cut into 1/2" wide strips. Roll the strips under your fingers into straws, lengthening them to about 10" long, and place on the pan an inch or so apart.

    Bake the straws until golden brown, 18 - 22 minutes, rotating front to back and top to bottom halfway through. Let cool completely on the pans (they will crisp up as they cool), then store in an airtight container.

    These are awesome on the day they are baked, and will keep, in an airtight container at room temperature, for a day or two. You can re-crisp them in a 300º oven if they soften.

    close up of cheese straws

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    Hungry for more?

    Alternative Baker celebrates the unique tastes and textures of 14 gluten-free flours, from buckwheat flour to almond flour to sorghum and coconut! This cookbook will fill your kitchen with sweet treats that burst with flavor every month of the year.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jay Doane says

      December 16, 2010 at 9:24 pm

      Just a reminder that there's still some Mimolette in the fridge. Hint hint.

      Reply
    2. Anonymous says

      July 13, 2012 at 12:00 am

      Thanks for the post! I can't wait till mine come outta the oven........ buahhahahaaaa

      Reply
      • Alanna says

        July 13, 2012 at 5:31 am

        Yay! : )

        Reply

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