Gougères

• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons
• Large pinch of coarse salt
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 large eggs
• 3 1/2 ounces shredded Gruyère cheese (1 cup), plus more for sprinkling
• Freshly ground pepper
• Freshly grated nutmeg

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. In a saucepan, combine water, milk, butter and salt and bring to a boil. Add the flour and stir it in until a smooth dough forms; stir over low heat until it dries out.

Scrape the dough into a bowl and allow to cool for a few minutes. Beat the eggs into the dough, one at a time. It is important to be sure that each egg is fully incorporated into the batter before adding the next.  Add the cheese and a pinch each of pepper and nutmeg.

Transfer the dough to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch round tip and pipe tablespoon-size mounds onto the baking sheets, a few inches apart. Sprinkle with cheese and bake for 22 minutes, or until puffed and golden brown.

Gougères freeze well.