Cheese Puffs With Salsa Cream Filling - cooking recipe

Ingredients

Dough
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 teaspoon salt
fresh ground black pepper
freshly grated nutmeg (optional)
1 cup flour
4 large eggs
1 egg, lightly beaten for egg wash
1 cup finely grated cheddar cheese or 1 cup swiss cheese, plus
3 tablespoons finely grated cheddar cheese or 3 tablespoons swiss cheese
Filling
1 (11 ounce) jar salsa (or your own)
8 ounces whipped cream cheese

Preparation

Preheat oven to 425*.
Grease 2 baking sheets.
To make dough: In a heavy 2 qt.
saucepan, combine 1 cup water with butter, salt, pepper,and nutmeg.
When butter has melted and water is boiling, remove pan from heat andd beat in flour all at once with a wooden spoon.
Stir vigorously until the mixture forms a ball and leaves sides of pan.
(If it doesn't, return pan to heat and beat hard 1 to 2 mins., until it forms a ball).
Off of the heat, beat in 4 eggs, 1 at a time until each is thoroughly incorporated.
Beat in 1 cup of grated cheese.
Transfer the dough to a pastry bag fitted with a plain 1/2\" tip.
Pipe rounds on the prepared baking sheets, each about 1 inch in diameter, 1\" high, and 2\" apart.
With a pastry brush, very carefully brush the tops of the rounds with some of the egg wash, being sure not to let any drip onto the baking sheets.
(It will act like glue and prevent puffs from puffing).
Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the tops of the rounds.
Bake for 20 to 25 mins.
or until golden and crisp.
Remove from the oven and turn off the oven.
With the tip of a small, sharp knife, pierce the top side of each puff, then return the baking sheets to the oven to dry for 10 mins.
Remove and let cool on wire racks.
While the puffs are baking or as they cool, make the filling: Drain the salsa.
In a bowl combine the cream cheese with half of the drained salsa.
Add salsa to taste.
With a small sharp knife, cut off the top half of the puffs.
Spoon filling into each puff and place the tops of the puffs back on.