NO MATTER THAT THESE SUMPTUOUS, ZESTY LITTLE rounds are not really biscuits—and I have no earthly
idea why they’re known by everybody all over the South as “biscuits” (the one exception being a strange lady I
encountered in Mobile, Alabama, who called hers cheese “cookies”). What matters is that cheese biscuits, like toasted pecans, are the backbone of any respectable Southern cocktail party or afternoon tea, and that I personally couldn’t exist without a tin of them in the kitchen at all times for nibbling. This particular recipe goes back generations in my family, with the only change being my discreet addition of Parmesan cheese. Just make sure you use aged, extra sharp cheddar, genuine Parmesan, and pecans that are not in the least rancid.
Makes about 75 biscuits
INGREDIENTS
- 1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
- 6 ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese, finely grated and brought to room temperature
- 2 ounces imported Parmigiano-Reggiano, finely grated
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Big dash of cayenne pepper
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 5 ounces fresh pecan halves
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter, cheeses, salt, and cayenne pepper. Mix the ingredients with your hands until well blended.
- Gradually add the flour to the bowl. Mix with your hands until the mixture becomes firm and smooth. If the mixture is too sticky, add a little more flour.
- Roll pieces of dough into balls the size of large marbles.
- Place the dough balls on ungreased baking sheets, about 1 inch apart.
- Press a pecan half into the center of each dough ball.
- Bake the biscuits in the preheated oven until they are slightly browned but still fairly soft, about 20 minutes.
- Let the biscuits cool.
- Store the biscuits in tightly sealed tins for up to 2 weeks.
