Cacio e Pepe Cheese Puffs

I made these cheese puffs to bring to a friend’s house for dinner and they were AMAZING! I had to hide them from the boys in fear of them gobbling them up before I could get out the door, in fact. I will absolutely be making these to bring to future gatherings. They were most delicious served warm, but I carried them out at room temp and they all disappeared.

Cacio e Pepe Cheese Puffs

Ina Garten  Modern Comfort Food Yield: 35 to 40 puffs

• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 extra-large eggs
• 1/2 cup freshly grated aged Italian Pecorino cheese, plus extra for sprinkling
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Italian Parmesan cheese
• 1 extra-large egg beaten with 1 teaspoon water or milk, for egg wash

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Arrange two racks evenly spaced in oven.
2. In a saucepan, heat the milk, butter, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper over medium heat, just until scalded. (To scald milk, heat it to just below the boiling point, when bubbles start to form around the perimeter. Don’t allow it to boil.)
3. Add the flour all at once and beat it vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture comes together. Lower the heat and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes.
4. Dump the mixture into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Immediately add the eggs, Pecorino, and Parmesan and pulse until the eggs are incorporated and the dough is smooth and thick.
5. Spoon the mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a large, plain 5/8-inch round pastry tip. Pipe the dough in mounds 1 1/4 inches wide and 3/4 inch high (1 inch apart) onto the prepared baking sheets. With a wet finger, lightly press down the swirl at the top of each puff. (You can also use two spoons to scoop the mixture and shape the puffs with damp fingers.) Brush the top of each puff lightly with the egg wash, and sprinkle with Pecorino, salt, and pepper. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until golden brown outside but still soft inside. Rotate pans half way through so they brown evenly. Serve hot.

Note: I chop the cheese into chunks and then grind in the food processor! Quick and easy.

Here, you can see where I added them to a charcuterie board.

If you have a go-to appetizer, feel free to share it!

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