Hot Cheese Olives

This is classic 1950s cocktail fare that, unlike the savory gelées and boiled ham canapés that are best forgotten, we still want to eat today. Just wrap cocktail olives in a simple Cheddar dough and bake until golden. Martini optional.

Ingredients

• 8

  tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

• 8

  ounces (2 cups) grated extra-sharp Cheddar

• 1 ½

  cups unsifted all-purpose flour

• ⅛

  teaspoon kosher salt

• ¼

  teaspoon ground cayenne

• Dash of Worcestershire sauce

• 1

  large egg

• 50

  small pimento-stuffed cocktail olives, drained and patted dry

Preparation

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Beat the butter until creamy in a large mixing bowl, add the cheese and mix well. Stir in the flour, salt, cayenne and the Worcestershire and mix until smooth. Beat the egg with 2 tablespoons cold water. Add to the dough and mix just until incorporated. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2. Remove the dough and flatten out a piece about the size of a walnut into a thin round. Place an olive on top and shape it around the olive, pinching to repair any breaks. Place it on an ungreased cookie sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough and olives. Bake until the dough sets, about 15 minutes. Serve hot.