Simple cheese straws

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan160°C/gas 4. Lightly grease 2 baking sheets with a little butter. Sift the flour into a large bowl, then rub the butter into the flour using your fingertips until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs. Add the grated cheese and mix together.
2. Add half the beaten egg and stir into the flour until the mixture starts to come together, then use your hands to work it into a ball.
3. Dust a work surface with a little flour and roll out the pastry into a rectangle, about 3mm thick, using a rolling pin. Cut widthways into straws, about 5mm wide.
4. Carefully put the straws on the baking sheets, leaving a little space between them. Sprinkle with extra cheese and bake for 12-15 minutes, until golden.  Cool for a couple of minutes on the baking sheets, then carefully pick them up with a palette knife and put them on a cooling rack. Eat warm or cool and store in an airtight container.