Serves: 4

Why this spice: Small-batch Collected Foods seasoning — aromatic, balanced, and built for real home cooking.

Ingredients

• 100 g (3 ½ oz) unsalted butter, diced and chilled, plus extra for greasing
• 100 g (3 ½ oz) plain (all-purpose flour), plus extra for dusting
• ½ teaspoon Aleppo chilli flakes
• 50 g (2 oz) cheddar, finely grated
• 50 g (2 oz) parmesan, finely grated
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 4 tablespoons Za'atar

Directions

1. Combine the butter, flour, 2 teaspoons of the za'atar, the chilli flakes and both cheeses in the bowl of a food processor. Whiz until the mixture starts to form crumbs, and then starts to clump together to form a ball.
2. Tip onto a floured work surface and, working briskly, bring the mix together to form a dough. Wrap in cling film and chill for 30 minutes.
3. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and lightly grease a baking tray
4. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the pastry to a thickness of about 3 mm (1/8 in). Use a small pastry cutter to cut out biscuits and transfer them carefully to the prepared baking tray, spacing them about 2 cm (¾ in) apart. Lightly knead and re-roll the trimmings until you've used up all the dough
5. Brush the surface of each biscuit with a little beaten egg and sprinkle fairly densely with the za'atar. Bake for 10 minutes, or until they are golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool on the tray for a moment. Lift them carefully onto wire racks to cool and serve, if you can, while warm.

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