Fennel, cheese & chili biscuits

Makes about 16

Ingredients

1 tsp fennel seeds
100 g flour (2⁄3 cup)
100 g butter, coarsely chopped
50 g vintage cheddar, finely grated
50 g pecorino, finely grated
2 tsp thyme
1 tsp chilli flakes
1 egg yolk

Method

Dry-roast fennel seeds in a small frying pan over medium heat until fragrant (30 seconds; see notes).
Transfer to a mortar and pestle and coarsely crush.
Combine flour, butter, cheddar, pecorino, thyme, chilli, fennel seeds, 1⁄2 tsp freshly ground black pepper and 1⁄2 tsp salt in a food processor and pulse to combine.

Mix egg yolk with 1 tbsp cold water in a small bowl.
Add to food processor and pulse to combine.
Turn out onto a lightly floured bench and bring together.
Roll dough between 2 sheets of baking paper to a 4mm-thick rectangle. Refrigerate for 1 hour to rest.

Preheat oven to 180C and line a large oven tray with baking paper.
Cut dough into 16 even 3.5cm x 6cm rectangles (trim edges if desired) and transfer to tray.

Bake, turning halfway through cooking, until biscuits are golden (16-18 minutes).
Cool on tray, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
These are best eaten the day they're made, so invite some friends over and open a bottle of Leopard's Leap Chenin Blanc. Alternatively, wrap a pretty festive ribbon around the biscuits, add a festive wish and walk over to the neighbours with a little token of the season. They'll obviously love you more if you also bring them a bottle of the Chenin Blanc...