Za'atar makes a wonderfully effective addition to our favorite little cheese biscuits. They keep quite well in a sealed container, not that they're likely to last long.
MAKES AROUND 30
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
- 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.
- 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.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and lightly grease a baking tray
- 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
- 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.
