Cheese puffs
Makes about 40, bite size

Looking for a quick hors d’ouevre for the holiday season? Look no further. When cookbook author James Peterson demo’d these delicious gougères (that’s French for cheese puffs) at Tom Douglas Summer Camp last July, his recipe quickly became the house favorite. Cheese puffs are easy to make, elegant, and smell fabulous while baking. Serve them to your guests piping hot with a glass of bubbly.

1 stick butter
1 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
1¼ cups flour
7 eggs
1 cup finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano

Preheat the oven to 500° F. Combine butter, water, and salt in a small saucepan and bring to the simmer. When the butter has all melted, add the flour all at once and stir until it forms a single mass that pulls away from the sides of the pan. Transfer to a mixing bowl and work in the eggs one by one. Stir in the cheese. Pipe out into small mounds and slide in the oven. Immediately turn the oven down to 400°F. Don’t open the oven door at any point. When the puffs have expanded and turned golden brown, after about 15 minutes, turn the oven down to 300°F and bake 10 minutes more. Serve right out of the oven.

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