LAMORINDA WEEKLY | Savory tidbits make a perfect Super Bowl snack


Ingredients for Olive and Cheese Nugge ts Photo Susie Iventosch

These savory rolls are super delicious and so easy to make. What I love about them is that they call for olive oil instead of butter and nonfat plain yogurt to bind them together. Not to mention, they are full of olive bits and grated cheese, two of our favorite foods! These tidbits are great with soups or salads, and if you make them bite-sized, they are a perfect appetizer to pass. With Super Bowl just around the corner, these could be a nice addition to your menu.

Our favorite olive for this is Mt. Athos Greek green olives, but you can use any green olive you like, or even substitute Kalamata olives for a change-up. We used a combination of white and yellow cheddar, but either one works perfectly for this recipe.

Olive & Cheese Nuggets

(Make 14-16 dinner rolls, or 24 appetizer sized rolls)

INGREDIENTS

2 1/2 cups self-rising flour*

5 oz. olive oil

5 oz. nonfat plain yogurt

1 cup grated sharp white or yellow cheddar cheese, divided (3/4 cup for dough and 1/4 cup for topping)

3 oz. chopped green Greek olives

*Substitution for Self-Rising Flour:

You can make your own self-rising flour by using a ratio of 1 cup flour to 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder to 1/4 teaspoon fine salt)

DIRECTIONS

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 350 F.

Place flour and salt in a mixing bowl. Mix well with a fork or whisk. Add olive oil, yogurt, grated cheese and olives. Mix all well and gather into a ball. The dough will seem more like short bread or a scone at this point. Knead on a floured surface for just a minute or so just to make sure all of the flour is well-incorporated into the dough.

Divide dough into 14 or 16 round balls. (Make them smaller if you're planning to use these as an appetizer.)

Place dough balls on the prepared baking sheet. Press down slightly with finger tips. Evenly distribute the remaining 1/4 cup grated cheddar on the top of each dough ball.

Bake for approximately 15-20 minutes, or until rolls begin to get golden-brown on top and the cheese is melted. (Shorten the baking time if making smaller appetizer nuggets.)

Remove from the oven and let sit for 10 minutes to set up before serving. Serve warm. If you are making them in advance, store them in the refrigerator in an airtight container and reheat them in a low (200 F) oven for about 10 minutes to crisp them back up!