Cheddar Cheese Rounds

Copyright: Cook's Country, December/January 2008

1/4 cup pecans

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces and softened

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (can be omitted)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Process pecans, flour, and cornstarch in food processor until finely ground. Add remaining ingredients and pulse until dough forms. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface and roll into two 8-inch logs. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or up to 3 days. (At this point, the logs can be wrapped in plastic, then foil, and frozen for up to 1 month. Defrost in refrigerator before proceeding.)

2. Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 400 degrees. Line 2baking sheets with parchment paper. Slice logs into 1/4-inch rounds and place 3/4 inch apart on prepared baking sheets. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes, switching and rotating baking sheets halfway thorugh baking. Let cool 3 minutes on sheets, then transfer to wire rack and cool completely. Serve. (Rounds can be kept in airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.)

I talked about this recipe here.