A Spin on Gougeres

Old Dogs, New Tricks: Buñuelos

I have been making gougères (those crispy little puffs from Burgundy made with Gruyère cheese) for decades. It never occurred to me to change the ingredients – until I was reading a Spanish recipe for essentially the same thing into which they put bits of Serrano ham or chopped green olives, or slivered almonds, or anchovies. Wow! A whole new world. Old Dog, New Tricks.

Well the Spanish version uses all kinds of wonderful things in addition to cheese The Spanish usually fry these, but they also work when baked like Gougères — especially if you are frying seafood afterwards! I mean even I can only push this Frying Is Good For You theme but soooo far! Here’s the scoop.

Put 3 Tbls. butter, 1/2 tsp. salt, 4 fl. oz. milk in a heavy saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add 1/2 cup flour, sifted. Stir until ball forms, then beat in two eggs until incorporated. Grate some Manchego cheese; chop up some anchovies, green olives, Serrano ham, or whatever you want. Divide dough into as many little bowls as you have ingredients. Mix. Using two teaspoons, put smallish balls on greased sheet and bake at 350 degrees until golden (+/- 15 minutes). That’s it. Of course, you could fry them if you really wanted to!