Parmesan Puffs

I had prepared a simple chicken and rice soup one morning, which would have all day to linger in the refrigerator developing flavor while I worked and then be ready for reheating at the end of a long day. And then I found out I'd be having company for dinner, with little time to make anything more glamorous to substitute for the soup.

What to do, what to do?

Serve the soup anyway. And offer some tantalizing tidbits to go with it, to make the meal seem more special.

These Parmesan Puffs take just half-an-hour from start to finish. Boil a little bit of milk and butter together, then stir in some flour, eggs and cheese. Bake dollops of the dough, and that's it!

They're rich and delicious, and people will devour them - you might not even need to serve the soup alongside them, the puffs are so popular!

I've had this recipe for more than 21 years - it first appeared in the January, 1990 issue of Gourmet magazine. And whether the puffs are served as hors d'oeuvres or as an accompaniment to soup or a salad, they are a great treat for any occasion.

Parmesan Puffs

1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup butter
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
1 cup finely grated Parmesan

Preheat oven to 400F. Lightly grease a cookie sheet.

In a medium saucepan, bring the milk, butter and salt to a boil. Add the flour all at once, and stir until it forms a ball. One by one, stir in the eggs; stir in the parmesan.

Using a 1" ice cream scoop, place walnut-sized balls of dough onto the baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes until the puffs are firm and starting to turn golden.

Makes about 36 puffs.