Savannah Cheese Wafers

Martha Nesbit created the recipe for these "addictive" wafers, which she prepared for a special dinner at the American Harvest Restaurant in New York's Vista International Hotel. This is a great do-ahead recipe, since the dough can be frozen and you can bake a few whenever you want to offer something along with cocktails. Adjust the cayenne to your preference. Originally from an April 1988 issue of Bon Appetit magazine.

• Ready In: 1 hr 1 min
• Yields: 3 dozen

Ingredients

• 1⁄4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1  cup  sifted all-purpose flour
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 8  ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated

Directions

1. Using electric mixer, beat butter in medium bowl until light and fluffy.
2. Resift flour with salt and cayenne;add to butter and beat just until blended.
3. Add cheese and blend just until combined; do not overmix (dough will be crumbly).
4. Gather dough into a ball; divide into fourths and flatten into disks.
5. (Can be prepared ahead.Wrap and refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze up to 2 months. Thaw dough before continuing.).
6. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
7. Roll 1 dough piece out between pieces of waxed paper to thickness of 1/8 inch.
8. Cut out rounds using a 2 inch plain or scalloped cookie cutter.
9. Repeat with remaining dough.
10. Gather up scraps, reroll and cut out additional rounds.
11. Transfer rounds to nonstick baking sheets (or to parchment covered regular baking sheets) and bake until golden, about 12 minutes.
12. Cool slightly and serve slightly warm or at room temperature.