This is one of those canapés that isn't big on looks but out of this world as far as flavour goes. It is my go-to when I want something that every single person raves about and I serve them as a canapé with wine and at times as a casual starter on the patio. They are a bit fiddly to make and you should allow enough time for that, but can successfully be made a day in advance.
250ml flour
100g butter, cubed
200g strong cheddar cheese
2,5ml smoked paprika
2 sachets pitted green olives
poppy seeds to sprinkle
Preheat your oven to 180℃.
Grate the cheese in a food processor and keep aside.
Now blitz the cubed butter and flour until it forms clumps as tiny as peas.
Add the grated cheese and paprika and mix to achieve a well blended dough.
Take the dough out of the bowl and knead it with the heel of your hand to bring it together.
Drain the olives and line a baking sheet with baking paper.
Now break off small pieces of the dough, press it flat in your hand and place an olive in the centre. Shape the dough around the olive, working towards a ball shape and making sure that it is sealed all around. They don't have to be perfect, just bring the dough together without any olive showing.
Place the balls onto the baking sheet and sprinkle some poppy seeds on top.
If you run out of olives, simply roll and mould the remaining dough into stick-shapes and place onto the baking paper.
Bake for about 15 minutes.
Serve slightly warm or cold.
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