Truffled Gougères
A Truffle a Day — Day 6
Gougères are small puff pastries with cheese — traditionally French Gruyère — although any cheese will work. The addition of truffles is, of course, the magic touch. These are enchanting as appetizers, and delightful as an accompaniment to soups, salads, or even roasts.
If you don’t have truffles at hand, try finely chopped black olives or a sauté of diced mushrooms of your choice, or simply a handful of fresh chopped herbs.
Ingredients:
4 medium-sized eggs
1 scant cup flour
²∕ ³ cup butter
7 ounces grated Swiss style cheese (Gruyère)
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup water
1 ounce or so of grated truffles
Preparation:
Place water, salt and butter in saucepan and bring to boil. When butter is melted, add the flour all at once and stir on low heat until the dough detaches from the pan. Remove from heat, and add the beaten eggs little by little, stirring all the while.
Stir in the grated cheese and the grated truffles. Spoon (or pipe with a pastry bag) small quantities onto a baking sheet coated with parchment to keep the gougères from sticking. Bake for 15 minutes in medium-hot oven. Remove when puffed and golden. Serve immediately, accompanied by a glass of sparkling wine, or beverage of your choice.
A Truffle a Day is a series of one-a-day truffle recipes, excerpted from the soon-to-be-released Cooking with Truffles: A Chef’s Guide. All recipes can be prepared with or without truffles, depending on the voluptuousness of your pantry. Previous recipes include: Truffled Corn Chowder, Truffled Grits, Oeuf à la Coque Truffé, Truffled Coffee, Truffled Irish Coffee, and Truffled French Bistro Cake.
