Ina First Fridays: Stilton Walnut Crackers

Welcome once again to Ina Garten First Fridays...this month it's appetizers. It was difficult to choose, as Ina does such a great job with nibbles for cocktail parties! These little gems are are the perfect hors d'oeuvre....not heavy enough to ruin your appetite, portable and you can freeze the dough, then slice and bake when you need them. You'll find them somewhat strong of Stilton, so you have to be a Stilton-lover, but when I serve them, I get raves.
I do love cocktail crackers......have you ever tried Ina's Parmesan Thyme Crackers? A bit tamer than these, but you get the idea.

Stilton Walnut Crackers
Barefoot Contessa How Easy is That? by Ina Garten, Copyright 2010 

Ingredients:
1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature
8 ounces Stilton cheese, crumbled (about 12 ounces with rind), at room temperature 
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 
2 teaspoons kosher salt 
1 teaspoon freshly ground black  pepper 
1 extra-large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water for egg wash
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Method:
Preheat oven to 350°.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and Stilton together for 1 minute, or until smooth. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour, salt and pepper and mix until it's in large crumbles, about 1 minute. Add 1 tablespoon of water and mix until combined. Dump the dough onto a floured board, press it into a ball, and roll into a 12-inch long log. Brush the log completely with the egg wash. Spread the walnuts in a square on a cutting board and roll the log back and forth in the walnuts, pressing lightly, and distributing them evenly on the outside of the log. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or for up to 4 days. Cut the log in 3/8 inch pieces and bake on parchment paper for 20 to 22 minutes or until brown. Rotate once during baking.

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Ina Fridays participants:

Alyce from moretimeatthetable.blogspot.com 

Mireya from myhealthyeatinghabits.com

Nancy from mypicadillo.com  

Veronica from mycatholickitchen.com

Linda from There and Back Again 

Chaya from bizzybakes.blogspot.com

Ansh from spiceroots.com  

Martha from simple-nourished-living.com
Minnie from TheLady8home.com

Bhavna from justagirlfromaamchimumbai.com/ 

B. from The Rocky MountainWoman 
Ria from Ria's Collection
Linda from Tumbleweed Contessa
Peggy from Pantry Revisited