Gruyere Puff with Roasted Garlic and Tomato Sauce

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Degree of Difficulty: Moderate to difficult

Cost: Inexpensive

Time Needed: 1 hour

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

12	Large unpeeled garlic cloves
7 tablespoons	Unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 cup	Water
1 cup	All purpose flour, sifted
5 medium	Eggs
3/4 cup	Freshly grated imported gruyere cheese
1	Egg yolk
1 cup	Frying oil
20	Basil leaves minces, reserve 12 nice for garnish
1 cup	Tomato sauce (without cumin seeds)
	Unsalted butter softened and all purpose flour for the baking sheet
	Salt and freshly ground pepper

Special Equipment Suggested:

l Heavy bottomed 2-quart saucepan

l Wooden spatula or spoon

l 3-quart round bottomed mixing bowl

l Pastry bag with a plain 2-inch tip

l Pastry brush

l Baking sheet

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Put the garlic cloves in a small baking dish and roast for 20 minutes. Let them cool, then peel carefully and cut each in half lengthwise. Set aside. Turn oven up to 400/425 degrees F. In a heavy bottomed saucepan, combine the butter, a pinch of salt and a cup of water. Bring to a boil. As soon as the mixture is boiling, remove from the hear, pour in all the flour at once, and vigorously with the wooden spoon, beat it in until the mixture comes away from the sides of the pan. Return the pan to low heat and continue stirring for 2 to 3 minutes, until the dough is skinny and cleans itself off the sides of the pan. Transfer the dough to a large mixing bowl; add the eggÕs one at a time and 2 cups Gruyere cheese, by mixing well with a wooden spatula, after each addition, to obtain a smooth, glossy dough.

Lightly butter and flour the baking sheet, and get ready the pastry bag with the tip. Fill the pastry bag with the warm dough. Pipe into round 1/2 inch mounds, spacing them 2 inches apart. In a small bowl, beat the egg yolk with a few drops of water and brush over the top of each blob. Sprinkle the tops with the remaining 1/4 cup Gruyere cheese. Place in the center of the oven and bake for a total of 20 to 25 minutes, until the puffs are even golden brown and crisp to the touch. Avoid opening the oven door during the first 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat up the frying oil in a deep skillet to 325 degrees. Fry the 12 nice basil leaves, two or three at a time for 30 seconds. Remove them, drain and sprinkle with salt. Set aside for Garnish.

Bring the tomato sauce to a boil, stir in the sliced garlic and the freshly minced basil leaves. Check seasoning and keep hot.

Presenting and serving the Gruyere Puffs.

Divide the tomato sauce into four warm plates. Garnish each plate with 4 or 5 freshly baked Gruyere puffs and decorate each plate with the fried basil leaves. Serve immediately.

Hubert Keller

Chef / Owner