Cheese Straws with Sesame Seeds

I recieved a book from a friend for Christmas that is called "Holiday Entertaining".  It has tons of recipes for holiday parties.  I made these for when I had my family over in February.  They were really easy to make and pretty tasty. The recipe makes 8-10 servings.

Image from "Holiday Entertaining"

Ingredients:
1/2 lb sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
2 oz Parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 tsp freshly ground white pepper (we used black)
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup black or white sesame seeds

Directions:
1.  In a food processor, combine the cheese, butter, white pepper, and cayenne pepper and process to a smooth paste.  Slowly add the flour, pulsing to blend.  When all of the flour is incorporated, gather the dough into a ball.  Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 3 hours.
2.  Preheat oven to 350F.  Lightly grease a baking sheet with butter or line it with parchment paper.
3.  Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator and cut it into 6 equal pieces.  On a lightly floured work surface, use your palm to roll each piece into a rope about the diameter of a drinking straw.  Cut each rope into 6-8 inch lengths, or shorter if you like.  Sprinkle the sesame seeds, coating lightly on all sides.  Place the straws about 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheet.
4.  Bake until golden brown and lightly crisp, 15-20 minutes.  Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack and let cool for 5-10 minutes.  (Or, let cool completely and store in an airtight container for up to 8 hours.)  Transfer the cheese straws to a platter and serve warm.  Enjoy!

Jason's Rating: Good
Beth's Rating: Good

Original recipe from this book:
Holiday Entertaining