It's the inaugural week of French Fridays with Dorie and the celebration of her new cookbook, Around My French Table. Over 500 pages of traditional and not so traditional French recipes it is a must for any French food fanatic or cookbook lover, so pick one up today! Dorie Greenspan is an American living in Paris, but besides that very enviable title she is also a James Beard award winning cookbook author.
The first recipe is the Gougère, the perfect bite of puffy dough with a hint of cheese that just the thought of one will make your mouth water. I have made these many many times and is a staple for any gathering at my house, so of course I welcome an excuse to make some again.
The basis of the Gougère is the Pâte à Choux, a versatile dough that is used for desserts like the crowd pleasing Croquembouche. Choux in French translates to cabbage and was given the name after the dough was used to make rolls that resembled the cabbage. The Gougère is made using the same dough but with the addition of cheese, and as we all know, cheese makes everything better!
Dorie's recipe calls for the little pillows of goodness be dropped and with spoons, but I prefer to pipe them for a cleaner more polished look.
Visit even more of the French Friday peep and the amazing Gougères here