Gougeres

Makes about 30 gougeres
From one of Jacques Pepin's cookbooks

• 1 cup milk
• 2 ounces unsalted butter
• 1/2 tsp salt
• Dash cayenne pepper. 1 cup flour
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1.5 c. grated Swiss cheese (Emmenthaler of Gruyère)
• Coarse salt (fleur de sel or kosher) to sprinkle on top

Preheat the oven to 375

Bring the milk, butter, salt, and cayenne to a boil in a sauce pan (at least 4 quarts, with high walls). Remove from the heat, and add the flour in one stroke, and mix vigorously with a wooden spatula until the mixture forms into a ball. Put back over medium heat, and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 1 minute, to dry the mixture a bit. Transfer to the bowl of a food processor, let cool for 5 minutes, then process for about 5 seconds to cool further. Add the eggs and paprika to the processor bowl, and process for 10 - 15 seconds, until well mixed. Transfer the choux paste to a mixing bowl, and let it cool for 10 minutes. 

Line a cookie sheet with a reusable nonstick baking mat, or parchment paper. Reserve 1 tablesppon of the grated parmesan cheese and add the remainder of the parmesan and all the Swiss cheese to the choux paste. Stif just enough to incorporate. Using a tablespoon, scoop out a level tablespoon of the gougère dough, and push it off the spoon onto the cooking mat. Continue making individual gougères, spacing them about 2 inches apart on the sheet. (you should have about thirty.) Sprinkle a few grains of coarse salt and a litle of the reserved parmesan cheese on each gougère. Bake for about 30 minutes, until nicely browned and crisp. Serve lukewarm or at room temperature.