Engagement Party Snacks

As I mentioned in my Quick Takes, we recently threw a little party for two friends who got engaged over Christmas. The food was pretty awesome, if I do say so myself. We served various other dips and spreads, like my roasted garlic hummus and some great Harry and David mozzarella dip and pistachio-roasted pepper dip, and some surprisingly tasty vegan offerings made by a friend who graciously pitched in, but the following are some show-stoppers I made myself:

Lee Brothers' Cheese Straws
These are seriously the easiest, quickest, and best cheese straws ever in the world. They come together in no time, and they are so, so tasty. All our Northern and Midwestern friends who have never even heard of cheese straws seemed very impressed. Serving tip: I put them in a vase, for some variation on the table. It was super cute.

6 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar cheese, grated (about 1 1/2 cups)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, slightly softened and cut into pieces
3/4 cup flour, plus more for dusting (I used bread flour, but AP would be fine.)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (I used freshly-ground black pepper.)
1 tablespoon half-and-half (Milk or cream would work just as well. I think I used more than a tablespoon, though. Just stream it in until the dough makes a ball.)

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. In a food processor, combine the cheese, butter, flour, salt and 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.

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 (I actually used a pizza wheel), cut the dough into thin 8-inch strips, each 1/4- to 1/3-inch wide. Gently transfer the strips to an ungreased cookie sheet (I lined mine with parchment, a silpat would also work), leaving at least 1/4-inch between them. The dough may sag or may break occasionally in the transfer, but don’t be concerned. The straws can be any length, from 2 to 10 inches.

4. Bake the straws on the middle rack for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the ends are lightly browned. Remove from the oven and set the cookie sheet on a rack to cool.
-----------------------------------------------------
The Barefoot Contessa's Roasted Eggplant Spread
So, so good. We served it with multigrain crackers, crostini, and crudite. Pita chips would be amazing.

1 medium eggplant
2 red bell peppers, seeded
1 red onion, peeled
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons good olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon tomato paste

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Cut the eggplant, bell pepper, and onion into 1-inch cubes. Toss them in a large bowl with the garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread them on a baking sheet. Roast for 45 minutes, until the vegetables are lightly browned and soft, tossing once during cooking.

3. Cool slightly.

4. Place the vegetables in a food processor fitted with a steel blade, add the tomato paste, and pulse 3 or 4 times to blend. Taste for salt and pepper.
-----------------------------------------------------
Prosciutto-Dijon-Gruyere Puffs
I can't even explain the extent to which you just need to make these right this second. They're gorgeous and so very, very delicious.

1 package frozen Puff Pastry (use the all-butter kind if you can find it)
8 slices Prosciutto di Parma
3 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 cup Gruyere cheese, grated
flour for dusting
fresh ground black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

2. Thaw puff pastry in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 hours. Once thawed, carefully unfold and lay on a floured work surface. If the pastry tears at the seam in the unfolding process, it’s not the end of the world, but try to keep it in one un-torn piece. Dust flour on top of the pastry as well.

3. Puff pastry will already be very flat, but with a rolling pin, roll the dough out to about 11×9-inches. [I actually then cut the sheet in half lengthwise and made mini-puffs.] Layer the eight slices of prosciutto on top of the puff pastry. Using a butter knife, spread the mustard on top of the prosciutto slices. Top with grated cheese, and as much fresh ground black pepper as you like.

4. Begin to roll the right side of the pastry in towards the center. Next roll the left side of the pastry in towards the center. Press together. Dough will not stick together, but if you brush away some of the excess flour on the center dough pieces, they will stay together better during baking.

5. With a sharp knife, slice the dough into 1/2-inch thick slices. Place on a baking sheet lines with parchment paper. Bake at 400 degrees F for about 12-15 minutes, until a deep golden brown. Let cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then remove from baking sheet and serve warm or at room temperature.