They’re back! Or maybe they never left. But I haven’t seen olive-stuffed cheese balls in decades and now I’ve baked multiple trays of this marvelous 1950s hors d’oeuvre. I spotted the recipe recently on another blog, A Well-Seasoned Kitchen, and it almost made me tear up. My mother, an unapologetic non-cook, had only one party appetizer in her repertoire and this was it. I can still conjure up, from childhood, that scent of warm cheesy pastry, but would someone else’s recipe provide a madeleine moment for me? Indeed. And now that I’m old enough to drink, I can confirm that these crumbly one-bite wonders are among the greatest cocktail companions of all time. Even if you’re not hosting holiday parties, you need the recipe.
Cheese ball worthy: Vermont’s Cabot Cheddar
No need to invest in expensive Cheddar here, but choose a Cheddar you would enjoy on its own. A two-year Vermont Cheddar from Grafton Village or Shelburne Farms would be a good option. My local supermarket stocks a two-year Old Croc Cheddar from Australia that produced good results.
You also don’t need fancy olives. Jarred pimento-stuffed olives are just fine, with the briny flavor that I remember from the cheese balls at my parents’ bridge parties.
Lee Clayton Roper, who writes the Well-Seasoned Kitchen blog, has some helpful tips for success with this recipe:
Pat the olives dry.
Be sure the dough completely encloses the olives.
Chill the balls thoroughly—or freeze them—before baking. Otherwise they will spread and you will have cheese hills instead of cheese balls.
Olive-Stuffed Cheddar Balls
Adapted from the blog “A Well-Seasoned Kitchen.” I substituted Spanish smoked pimentón for the paprika in Roper’s recipe. I also find it easier to make the dough in a food processor instead of a stand mixer.
2 dozen small (Manzanilla variety) pimiento-stuffed green olives
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon Spanish smoked pimentón (mild or hot) or paprika
Pinch cayenne pepper (if pimentón is mild)
1/4 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
¼ pound sharp Cheddar, coarsely grated
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
Lift the olives from their brine and pat thoroughly dry on paper towels.
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together flour, pimentón or paprika, cayenne (if using) and salt.
In a food processor, combine the flour mixture, Cheddar and butter. Pulse until the mixture holds together as a dough, but don’t overblend. The dough should be a bit crumbly; if it seems wet, add another 1 to 2 tablespoons flour. If the dough is too moist, the balls will spread when baked.
Pinch off a piece of dough about twice the size of the olives. Flatten the dough with your fingers and wrap it around an olive, encasing the olive completely. Roll into a ball about 1 inch in diameter. After doing a couple of these, you’ll get a feel for the right amount of dough.
Place the balls on a baking sheet. You should have enough dough to make about 2 dozen. Cover and refrigerate the balls until very cold, several hours or overnight. You can also freeze them in a plastic storage bag.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place refrigerated or frozen balls on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Bake until lightly browned and fragrant, 16 to 18 minutes for refrigerated balls, 20 minutes or a bit longer if the balls were frozen. Remove from the oven and let rest on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes, then serve warm or transfer to a rack to finish cooling.
Makes about 2 dozen