Savory appetizer made with olives wrapped in a cheesy dough
- Carbohydrate 2.5310000674936 g
- Cholesterol 10.0276041666667 mg
- Fat 3.50996702012485 g
- Fiber 0.087369278927779 g
- Protein 1.52674234180918 g
- Saturated Fat 2.21273647703505 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (10g)
- Sodium 42.923467983248 mg
- Sugar 2.44363078856582 g
- Trans Fat 0.225525630611132 g
- Calories 48 calories
Step-by-step
- Drain and pat dry your olives, place them in a bowl, and set aside.
- Next, put the cheese, flour, and melted butter in a large mixing bowl and mix together thoroughly.
- You will probably need to use your hands like you would when making a meat loaf; just take care with the hot, melted butter.
- Once you complete the steps above, take your bowls of dough and olives and also an ungreased cookie sheet to your coffee table in front of the television and make yourself comfortable.
- Make sure you find something good to watch because you won't want to touch the remote control anytime soon.
- This is also a good time to pour a beer or a nice glass of wine.
- Take a pinch of the dough and flatten it with your palms.
- Next, take an olive and wrap the batter around it completely covering the olive.
- Pinch off any excess dough and toss the extra back into the bowl.
- Roll the dough covered olive between your palms to round it out and place it on the ungreased cookie sheet.
- Repeat 47 times refilling your drink as needed.
- This next step is important so do not skip it.
- Once you have all of your olives on the cookie sheet wrapped in dough, place it in the refrigerator for at least one hour.
- If you place them directly into the oven then the cheese dough will simply melt off of the olives.
- One hour is sufficient, and towards the end of the hour also preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Bake your olive cheese balls at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 to 20 minutes until they are a nice golden brown.
- Remove them from the oven and allow them to cool on the pan.
- Once cooled, bring them to a party or have a snack.
- They are an excellent finger food, so enjoy!
Why does the dough slide right off the olives during baking? Fat content dictates success here, requiring precise handling to prevent greasy puddles. Sharp cheddar contains less moisture than high-moisture varieties, yielding a dough that holds its shape under heat. Thoroughly drying the pimiento-stuffed olives with paper towels is mandatory; surface moisture creates a steam barrier that prevents the flour and butter mixture from adhering. Chilling the formed shapes for at least one hour solidifies the dairy fats so the exterior browns at 400 degrees Fahrenheit before the interior liquifies.
- Shred the cheese manually on a box grater instead of buying pre-bagged shreds containing cellulose anti-caking agents that disrupt binding.
- Weigh or level the all-purpose flour carefully; excess flour creates a dense, crumbly shell while insufficient flour results in a sticky batter.
- Substitute gluten-free flour blends at a one-to-one ratio if dietary needs dictate, though expect a more delicate exterior texture.
- Bake until the exterior turns a uniform golden brown, typically requiring 15 to 20 minutes in a properly preheated oven.
Proper chilling transforms these bite-sized appetizers from a greasy mess into structurally sound pastries. Storing leftover baked portions in an airtight container in the refrigerator preserves crispness for up to three days.
