Savoury Two-Cheese Biscotti

I have been thinking hard about what I could make for Quikong's mom because she prefers savoury foods rather than sweet. Since I know that she loves cheese, I thought that this cheese biscotti would be the perfect treat for her. An added bonus is that it is only 83 calories each. That's great if you can stop at just one!

Tips: Be sure to use the best quality cheese you can get your hands on and use sun-dried tomatoes that are vacuum packed and not in oil. It is great on its own, with dips or chilli.

Two-Cheese Biscotti with Sun-dried Tomatoes
adapted from Cooking Light March 2005
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3 oz extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
2 oz fresh Parmigiano Reggiano (Parmesan) cheese, grated
3-4 sun-dried tomato halves, chopped finely
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup + 1 tbsp skim milk
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
3 extra large eggs (min weight per egg 55grm)
Cooking spray

PREPARATION

1

Preheat oven to 180°(350°). Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine all the dry ingredients in a large bowl.

2

Combine milk, oil, and eggs; stir with a whisk. Add milk mixture to flour mixture, stirring until well blended (dough will be dry and crumbly). Knead 8 times.

3

Divide dough in half. Shape each portion into an 8-inch-long roll. Place rolls, 6 inches apart, on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray; flatten to 1-inch thickness. Bake at 180°(350°) for 30 minutes. Remove from baking sheet and cool on a wire rack for 10 mins. Reduce oven temperature to 150°(325°).

4

Using a serrated knife, cut each roll diagonally into 12 (2/3-inch) slices. Place slices, cut sides down, on baking sheet. Bake at 150°(325°) for 10 -15 minutes (depends how crunchy prefer it to be). Turn biscotti over; bake an additional 10-15 minutes (biscotti will be slightly soft in center but will harden as they cool). Remove from baking sheet; cool completely on wire rack before storing in a airtight container.