Carmela Soprano's Cheese Puffs - Appetizers

No kidding now.

Snow's on the ground and Christmas commercials are on TV.

Time to get ready for holiday dinners.

I found a handy recipe for Cheese Puffs in the Fit For a Bride chapter in Carmela's Entertaining with The Sopranos.  They're basically cream puffs, without the cream.  They look nice on the table, they're easy to make, and they can be frozen up to one month.

Sometimes Carm actually does cook normal things that come in handy.

Grease 2 large cookie sheets

Preheat oven to 400º 

Put in a heavy saucepan

1 cup water

1 stick unsalted butter, cut up (8 tablespoons) 

1/2 teaspoon salt

Bring to a boil, stirring, until the butter is melted.

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Add

1 cup flour

Cook over medium heat and stir until the mixture forms a ball.

Continue to cook and stir another minute.

Remove from heat.

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Beat in, one at a time

4 large eggs

1 large egg yolk

Beat well after each addition.

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Add

1 1/2 cups grated Gruyere

1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Beat until blended.

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Scoop (about a tablespoon of the mixture) and place the small mounds, about 2 inches apart, on a greased cookie sheet.

Dip your fingers in cold water and pat if you want to shape the tops.  If you're rushed, don't bother.  

These can be made up to 24 hours ahead of time.

Store, covered with foil, in the fridge.

Bake 20 minutes

Serve warm or cool

If you're cooking ahead - I would - let them cool and place them in a tightly sealed plastic bag:

2 days in the fridge

a month in the freezer (I always wonder - do they mean 28 or 30 days?)

Reheat, unthawed, in a 350º oven

Would I make the Cheese Puffs again?  Sure.

And I wouldn't wait for a wedding.

Another recipe down.  Thirty-six more to go.