Nigella's 'amazing' parmesan shortbreads are perfect for parties this Christmas

28 December 2023 , 13:00

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These Parmesan shortbreads are a 'complete winner' (Image: TV Grab)

This shortbread is a festive game-changer.

While the holiday is a chance to get together with family and friends, hosting parties can be a little overwhelming. Ensuring that you have the catering all sorted for any parties you're planning to throw over the Christmas period can be stressful, especially when you find yourself trying to cook canapes, main courses, and other snacks for your guests all at once at the last minute - all while trying to greet your guests and be the perfect host.

That's where these delicious parmesan shortbreads from beloved TV chef Nigella Lawson come in, as this recipe is the perfect addition to pre-dinner drinks and they can be prepared well in advance, giving you more time to focus on the important stuff: quality time with your loved ones.

The recipe was featured in Lawson's book 'Nigellisima' and actually came from a friend of the TV chef's originally. She explains that she "begged him for the recipe" from her Brazillian pal, who had sourced it in Australia, but the shortbreads are in fact inspired by Italian cuisine.

The shortbreads are a "complete winner" according to Lawson, and they contain only four ingredients, making it an incredibly easy dish to add to your festive party arsenal that's bound to be a total crowd pleaser. Those who had tried the recipe for themselves commented that they were incredibly pleased with the results, with one noting: "These are amazing! Easy to make and really wonderful with wine. Made our New Year's Eve thank you."

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Ingredients:

• 75g grated parmesan
• 150g plain flour
• 100g soft unsalted butter
• 1 large egg yolk

Kitchen Equipment:

• Baking sheet
• Mixing bowl or food processor
• Baking parchment
• Knife
• Cling film

First things first, mix all four of the ingredients together, you can do this in your mixing bowl with a spoon or an electric whisk, or with your food processor if that's your preference. Once the dough has become a clump, you've reached the sweet spot and can move on to kneading the dough for around 30 seconds until it's smooth on your kitchen counter or other surface.

Then divide the dough into two, take one half, and roll it into a uniform cylinder, that should have a diameter of about 3cm. The ends should be flat and it should look a bit like "a roll of coins".

Grab your cling film and roll the cylindrical dough into it, twisting either end "like a Christmas cracker" and pop it in the fridge, then do exactly the same again with the other half of the dough.

(TV Grab)

Leave both halves in the fridge to rest for 45 minutes, and preheat your oven to 180 degrees celsius in the meantime and line your baking sheet with the parchment. Once the resting time is over, remove from the film and cut the cylinders into 1cm slices, arrange them on your baking sheet, and cook for about 15-20 minutes until the edges of the biscuits are a lovely pale gold colour.

If you want to prepare these ahead of your next dinner party, you can make your dough up to three days in advance, but make sure to let the dough get to room temperature before you slice it to ensure you get clean cuts.

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Emma Mackenzie