Cheese Straws

Directions

1. 1
   {"0":"1. Preheat oven to 350\u00b0F.","2":"2. 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.","4":"3. 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.","6":"4. 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.","8":"5. 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.","10":"Variation: One adaptation I am curious to try would be to roll these into thin, round crackers. Because they puff a bit, I'd roll them as thin as possible, and use a fork or skewer to make some holes to keep the expansion in check. If you try this, I'd love to hear how it went for you."}