Tapas Espanolas

Photo: flickr user ricardo.martins

Ingredients

2 cups plus 1 tablespoon flour

10 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter

teaspoon salt

Water

1 tablespoon smoked Spanish paprika (pimenton)

cup milk

4 ounces thickly sliced Serrano ham, julienned (about 1 cup)

6 canned OR jarred piquillo peppers OR roasted

julienned

cup grated tetilla cheese (OR shredded Mon

cup grated manchego cheese

Extra-virgin olive oil

Preparation

In a medium bowl, place 2 cups flour. With a pastry cutter or two knives, cut in 8 tablespoons butter, cut into thin slices, until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In a cup, combine salt and 1/4 cup ice water; sprinkle over flour mixture and stir with a fork until mixture holds together. Form into a ball; flatten, wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.

In a small saucepan, melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon flour and paprika until smooth; gradually whisk in milk. Bring just to a boil; turn off heat and stir in Serrano ham, piquillo peppers and tetilla and manchego cheeses.

Roll out dough to form a 15x12-inch rectangle. Cut into 20 (3-inch)

Squares; fit a square into each of 20 mini-muffin pan cups. Divide filling evenly among pastry-lined cups. Bring pastry edges up to meet and twist together in center. Brush tops of pastry with olive oil. Place pans on a rimmed baking sheet to catch spills. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven about 15 to 20 minutes, until pastry is golden. Serve hot with glasses of dry sherry.

Makes 20 tapas.