Appetizer - Cheese Olive Balls
My husband and I can eat the whole thing in one sitting! This is a request for family gatherings.
My husband and I can eat the whole thing in one sitting! This is a request for family gatherings.
- Carbohydrate 28.6630143750079 g
- Cholesterol 60.7375 mg
- Fat 23.3846787500004 g
- Fiber 1.03613126750069 g
- Protein 4.1214668750013 g
- Saturated Fat 14.5832981875 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (66g)
- Sodium 173.975583333339 mg
- Sugar 27.6268831075072 g
- Trans Fat 1.73056166666693 g
- Calories 340 calories
Step-by-step
- Mix all ingredients into a dough, except the olives.
- Wrap a spoonful of dough around each olive.
- Bake 425F for 10-15min.
- Note: Can freeze or refrigerate in advance, and then put them straight into the oven. Do not let them sit to room temp.
Green olives introduce a significant amount of surface moisture and inherent sodium that the dry ingredient quantities must balance to prevent a sticky, unworkable dough. Thoroughly draining the olives and patting them dry with paper towels eliminates excess liquid that would otherwise interfere with the hydration ratio of the flour and dairy fats. When incorporating the grated cheese and softened butter, the mixing process distributes milk solids evenly throughout the flour matrix, creating a shortcrust texture upon baking. Red pepper flakes supply capsaicin, which cuts through the dense dairy fat and counteracts the sharp salinity of the cured olives.
Maintaining proper thermal control during shaping prevents the butter from melting prematurely from ambient kitchen heat or warm hands. Chilling the formed dough balls prior to baking solidifies the saturated fats, ensuring the exterior holds its spherical shape rather than spreading flat across the sheet pan. Operating the oven at a high temperature of 425 degrees Fahrenheit triggers rapid steam expansion within the pastry shell, forcing the fat to render quickly and fry the flour proteins for an ultra-crisp exterior.
Freezing these unbaked appetizers directly on a tray allows for immediate transfer to storage bags without the pieces sticking together. Because frozen items go straight into the hot oven without thawing, the internal moisture turns to steam and creates a flaky pocket around the olive pit. Pull the batch when the exterior turns a pale golden brown and the cheese edges show faint browning, usually between 10 and 15 minutes of total heat exposure.
Pairing these rich pastries with crisp, high-acidity beverages like dry sparkling wine or sharp citrus-infused cocktails provides a necessary palate cleanse. The structural weight of high-fat baked cheese requires sharp contrasting elements to reset the tongue between bites. Avoid heavy starchy sides on the serving platter, choosing instead lightly dressed bitter greens that echo the briny profile of the olive centers.
