Thyme and Parmesan choux puffs recipe paired with a Negroni Sbagliato cocktail
There’s nothing wrong with a cold beer or wine and a bowl of crisps. But sometimes you need something a little more special, like these moreish little choux puffs, packed with the salty, savoury and satisfying flavours of thyme and Parmesan. Paired with a Negroni Sbagliato (made with Prosecco in place of gin), they’ll transport you straight to an Italian piazza.
The recipe comes from the aptly named cookbook Mediterranean Summer Table, from bestselling food writer Kathy Kordalis. Inspired by her Greek heritage and with ideas drawn from cuisines across the Med, it’s packed with ideas for summer entertaining – although most recipes, including these puffs, can be enjoyed year-round.
“Nothing smells nicer than pastry baking in the oven, so keep these in your freezer for impromptu drinks,” recommends Kathy.
Talking of drinks, Kathy recommends serving these tasty morsels with a refreshing, bittersweet Negroni Sbagliato, sometimes called a ‘mistaken’ or ‘wrong’ Negroni. This refreshing twist on the classic was apparently invented at Bar Basso in Milan when a waiter poured Prosecco instead of gin – accidentally creating the perfect apéritif.
Ingredients
- 5 large eggs
- 250 ml water
- 80 g butter, cubed
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 150 g plain flour
- 0.2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 tsp mustard powder
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper
- 175 g Parmesan or pecorino, grated
- 4 fresh thyme sprigs, leaves picked, plus extra to garnish
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 dash of milk or water
- 5 large eggs
- 8.8 fl oz water
- 2.8 oz butter, cubed
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 5.3 oz plain flour
- 0.2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 tsp mustard powder
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper
- 6.2 oz Parmesan or pecorino, grated
- 4 fresh thyme sprigs, leaves picked, plus extra to garnish
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 dash of milk or water
- 5 large eggs
- 1.1 cups water
- 2.8 oz butter, cubed
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 5.3 oz all-purpose flour
- 0.2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 tsp mustard powder
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper
- 6.2 oz Parmesan or pecorino, grated
- 4 fresh thyme sprigs, leaves picked, plus extra to garnish
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 dash of milk or water
- 25 ml Campari
- 25 ml sweet vermouth
- 1 splash Prosecco, to top up
- 1 twist of orange peel, to decorate
- 0.9 fl oz Campari
- 0.9 fl oz sweet vermouth
- 1 splash Prosecco, to top up
- 1 twist of orange peel, to decorate
- 0.1 cup Campari
- 0.1 cup sweet vermouth
- 1 splash Prosecco, to top up
- 1 twist of orange peel, to decorate
Details
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
- Recipe Type: Party food
- Difficulty: Easy
- Preparation Time: 35 mins
- Cooking Time: 25 mins
- Serves: 30
Step-by-step
For the thyme and Parmesan choux puffs:
- Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan/425°F/gas mark 7. Line 2 baking sheets with baking paper (parchment).
- Crack 4 of the eggs into a jug and beat.
- Put the water, butter and salt in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, to melt the butter.
- Take the pan off the heat and add the flour, stirring until it comes together into a paste. Put the pan back over low heat and stir until you have a smooth ball and the dough is starting to form a layer on the base of the pan – this should take 2-3 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat and beat with a hand mixer until cooled – around 5 minutes. Alternatively, you can transfer the dough to a stand mixer with the beater attachment, again beating for 5 minutes or so.
- Beat in the eggs, little by little, making sure each addition is well incorporated before adding the next. Stir in the nutmeg, mustard, cayenne, thyme, honey and two-thirds of the cheese. Pipe or spoon the mixture onto the prepared baking sheets (you should get approximately 30 buns from the mixture).
- Whisk together the last egg with a dash of water or milk, then brush onto the buns, sprinkle with the remaining cheese and place in the preheated oven.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 200°C/180°C fan/390°F/gas mark 6. Bake for 20 minutes until puffed up and golden.
- Remove from the oven, pierce the side of each one with a small knife and return to the oven for 5 minutes to let the steam out. Serve while they’re still warm.
For the Negroni Sbagliato:
- Pour the Campari and sweet vermouth into a glass, add ice cubes and gently pour in the Prosecco – pouring down a bar or long spoon placed in the glass will stop the bubbles from fizzing over the edge of the glass.
- Stir, top up further with Prosecco if needed, and garnish with the orange peel.
Recipe adapted from Mediterranean Summer Table by Kathy Kordalis, published by Ryland Peters & Small.
Mediterranean Summer Table by Kathy Kordalis
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