Cheesy-Spicy Shortbread Wafers

Recipe adapted from Mark Bittman

~from Savoring Time in the Kitchen

8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold butter, cut into cubes

2 cups grated, aged white cheddar (you could also use Gruyère, Swiss or any other semi-hard cheese)

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon paprika or ground cumin (optional)

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 dashes of Tabasco

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place all ingredients into a food processor and pulse just until the mixture resembles a coarse meal being careful not to over process. If you don’t have a food processor, you can use a pastry cutter or fork and blend the ingredients in a bowl to the coarse meal stage. Form the dough into a ball and cut in half. Shape each half into a log about 2-2-1/2 inches thick and wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 30minutes. The logs can be frozen for up to a month.

Cut the refrigerated or frozen dough crosswise into 1/4-inch slices and place on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet leaving a 2 inches space between them.

Bake until the slightly puffed and golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.