Use this as a bread to go with soups or salads, as a snack with wine or as a complement to apples or pears for dessert.
Serves 4 to 6 as an appetizer.
8 T butter, cut into large pieces
1 cup water
1/2 t salt
1 C flour
4 eggs
2 oz Swiss or Gruyère, grated (about 3/4 cup)
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1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the water, butter and salt, and bring to a boil.
3. As soon as the water boils and the butter has completely melted, stir in the flour. Stir briskly over medium heat until the mixture forms a ball of dough and the dough begins to leave a light film on the bottom of the saucepan.
4. Add an egg and stir briskly again until the egg has been completely absorbed and the dough forms a mass again.
5. Add the second, third and fourth egg, one at a time, and beat them thoroughly into the dough, as with the first.
6. Stir in all but about a couple of tablespoons of the cheese.
7. With a tablespoon, scoop out heaping spoons of dough and drop on a greased baking sheet. Drop the dough balls next to each other to form a ring about 8″ in diameter.
8. Sprinkle the top of the ring with the remaining grated cheese.
9. Bake in the oven for about 50 minutes, until the ring is well puffed and browned.
10. Serve hot.
Variation: Instead of making one large ring, make individual puffs by dropping the spoonfuls of dough about 2 inches apart on the baking sheet and baking for only 20 to 25 minutes.
