Ahhh…the 70s are back! Roasting the pecans gives an extra depth to the cheese mix, but it’s optional. While most ingredients below are from classic U.S. recipes, I’ve provided some substitutions. Normally I use fresh herbs and seasonings in recipes, but here I use the dry version so that the cheese ball can be kept for a week or so. If you will eat it within 1-2 days, feel free to grate fresh garlic/onion and chop fresh herbs to substitute for the dry ingredients.
Serve with crackers, such as my mini Lingue di suocera “mother-in-law’s tongue” crackers.
Serves 8-12
INGREDIENTS
Roasted Nuts
- whole pecans or walnuts: about 150g/5.25 oz
- olive oil: 1 Tbsp
Core Cheese Ball
- soft cheese (creme cheese or mascarpone): about 225 g/8 oz
- semi-hard cheese (cheddar, Gruyère, Gouda, or your local favorite Alpkäse): about 125 g/4 oz, freshly grated
- mustard 1 Tbsp
- Worcestershire sauce: 1 Tbsp (Lea & Perrins recommended)
- Tabasco (or other hot sauce): .5-2 tsp, depending on your preference
- garlic powder: .5 tsp
- onion powder: .5 tsp
- dried mixed herbs: 1 tsp
STEPS
- Warm the cheeses. Remove both cheeses from the fridge and allow to warm on the countertop for 45-60 minutes. This helps to blend them together. Grate and chop the semi-hard cheese.
- Make the ball. In a large bowl, add both cheeses, mustard, Worcestershire sauce and the Tabasco, and with a spoon, mix together for 2-3 minutes or until completely smooth (you can also use an electric mixer). Add the garlic and onion powders and dried herbs to the mixture and blend until completely integrated.
- Chill the ball. Spread out a piece of plastic wrap and place the mixture in the middle. Pull up all sides of the wrap together and form the mixture into a ball. Chill in the fridge for 1-24 hours.
- Roast and chop the nuts. Heat an oven to 180 C/350 F. Toss the nuts with the oil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven allow to cool completely on a paper towel. Using food processor or knife, chop until crumb consistency reached.
- Assemble the final ball. Add the chopped nuts to a large bowl. Remove the plastic wrap from the ball and form into a round or log shape. Roll the cheese mixture around in the nuts until the cheese is completely coated. Serve or return the fridge in an airtight container to serve later.