'Perfect Night In' Smoked Cheddar and Rosemary Whirls.

"We'ello there Rachel" (oh I MISS Friends). Today I have for you a wonderously yumptious, wonderously easypeasy, party nibble. Now I know it's not exactly party season: been there, done that. But it IS the season of going home, your own or another's, after a long, perhaps tiring, perhaps dull, day and spending a cosy but oh so jolly night in with brilliant people. Well it is for me anyway.

These nights have strict requirements if they are to reach the desired heights of fun; fun that means although you weren't even remotely tipsy, by the next morning, the memories are a blur of chatter, gaaffoooors and that warm fuzzy feeling that comes from spending time with people that make you smile.

Requirements: 

• Food to nibble on while dinner is cooking; you're probably rAVenous from speeding about all day.
• Beverages that are delicious and fancy feeling while being gloriously low-maintenance; current fav = fizz and cordial. English Cox's apple is a recent discovery. 
• A deliiiicious tea, or dinner if you prefer, which requires no effort. Don't tell the food-police but take away or shop bought is ok, in fact it makes it feel even more like a treat.
• Banterbanterlaughterlaughter.
• And finally, a nice hot cup of tea and PJs.

These cheesy whirls satisfy requirement #1, in fact satisfy doesn't cover it in the slightest. They went down a STORM, and to be honest, I was a bit worried that they might be a bit divisive; they have a superstrong flavour. But no, perfect 'after work, dinner's cooking, lets have chats' food. And soso simple for you...so go on, PJs on. With Love and Cake.

Smoked Cheddar and Rosemary Whirls.

A few notes:

• This is so straight forward that it would be easy to chop and change the filling to what you fancy; other cheese, other herbs, you could even go sweet and do cinnamon and crunchy brown sugar.
• To make things easier still, I used a shop bought pastry, mainly because I found a couple of packets reduced to 15p because it was their 'going off day'. Brill. Though do feel free to make your own and do feel smug about it.

Makes around 20

You will need

A large baking sheet, greased

250g shortcrust pastry, bought or with a little help from Delia, found here. I would double the recipe, freezing any leftovers, and replace the lard with butter

1 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped

around 50g (a nice chunk) Applewood Smoked Cheddar

1 egg

• Roll out the pastry to a neat rectangle; the size isn't really inportant but make sure it's around 1/2 cm thick.
• Brush egg all over the pastry, then scatter over the rosemary and grate over the cheese.
• Roll the pastry up like a swiss-roll from one of the long edges of the rectangle and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
• Cut the roll, with a serrated knife, into swirls, about every 1.5cms...or as thick as you want them.
• Preheat the oven to 180°c.
• Bake the whirls for 20-25 minutes until golden and lovely looking...let the fun commence.