Parmesan, Pine Nut, and Olive Crackers
It had been a while since I last prepared a quick recipe for an interesting appetizer. Today’s one is extremely irresistible: as soon as they come out of the oven, they start disappearing before they even have time to cool down. At room temperature they’re just as good and even crispier; hot or cold, you won’t be able to stop eating them one after another.
The flavor is very similar to the classic cheese sticks/snacks you can find in any supermarket, but these homemade ones have a special touch. The contrast with pine nuts and olives is spectacular, although it’s just an example—you can get creative and pair Parmesan with other ingredients that work well, such as sun-dried tomatoes, raisins, cashews, dried cranberries, or dried apricots.
Enjoy!
Ingredients (for about 20 cookies)
190 g flour
100 g Parmesan cheese
10 pitted black olives, chopped
30 g pine nuts
1 egg
50 g butter
A splash of milk
2 teaspoons oregano
Fleur de sel and ground black pepper
Extra oregano and oat flakes for decoration
Preparation
Take the butter out of the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for about 45 minutes. Chop the olives and set them aside. Cut the Parmesan into very small flakes, no larger than about 2 cm x 2 cm. In a bowl, mix the flour, spices, salt, and Parmesan flakes. Beat the egg and add it to the mixture along with the softened butter and a splash of milk (not too much). Mix well until combined. If it seems too dry, add a little more milk.
Now add the olives and pine nuts and mix until everything is evenly incorporated.
Line a baking tray with parchment paper and drop small mounds of dough onto it. There’s no need to shape them into balls—they’ll look more rustic and attractive if you just drop them as they are. Flatten them slightly and sprinkle oat flakes or oregano on top for decoration.
Preheat the oven to 180ºC (356ºF) for about 5 minutes and bake them for 20–25 minutes, until golden.
Notes
If you prefer more uniformly shaped savory cookies, simply grate the Parmesan instead of cutting it into flakes. Form small balls (with grated cheese there won’t be uneven edges), place them on the baking paper, and flatten them slightly before baking. The result is just as delicious, but with a more uniform cookie shape.
