Free Real Snacks by Lara Ferroni Page B

crumbly dough forms, about 1 minute.
    Turn the dough out onto a wooden cutting board dusted with masa harina and gather it into a ball. Divide the dough ball into 4 pieces. Keep the dough you aren’t working with covered with plastic wrap. Working with one dough ball at a time, place the dough on the prepared cutting board. Roll out the dough until it is slightly less than ¼ inch thick. Prick the dough all over with a fork and cut it into ¾-by-1½-inch rectangles.
    Heat at least 1½ inches of oil in a heavy-bottomed pot to 350°F. Using a spatula or bench scraper, carefully transfer the dough rectangles to the oil. Fry the chips until they are a light golden brown, about 1 minute, turning once or twice. Remove the chips with a slotted spoon and place on a wire rack to drain. Repeat with the remaining dough.
    Once the chips are slightly cooled, transfer them to a small paper bag. Season to taste with salt and shake to coat.
    These chips are naturally gluten-free and vegan .
nacho cheese tortilla chips
ABOUT 70 CHIPS
    As tempting as they may be, skip the bag of Doritos and pick up a package or two of corn tortillas, pull out the fryer, and feast on your own cheesy, spicy chips free from FD&C Red #40, corn syrup solids, and both kinds of glutamate. For Ranch Tortilla Chips, simply replace the spice mix with Ranch Flavoring ( this page ). These chips will be just as delicious the next day if you toast them for five minutes in a 350°F oven before serving
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    1 teaspoon Onion Powder ( this page )
    1 teaspoon Garlic Powder ( this page )
    ¼ teaspoon dried mustard
    ½ teaspoon turbinado or cane sugar
    1 teaspoon chili powder
    ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
    ½ teaspoon paprika
    1 teaspoon nutritional yeast
    ½ teaspoon dried oregano
    ½ teaspoon dried sage
    8 teaspoons Cheese Powder ( this page )
    1 teaspoon salt
    ½ teaspoon black pepper
    Safflower oil, for frying
    12 corn tortillas
    Place the onion powder, garlic powder, dried mustard, sugar, chili powder, cayenne pepper, paprika, nutritional yeast, oregano, sage, Cheese Powder, salt, and black pepper into a spice grinder or food processor and pulse until well blended. Set aside.
    Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment and set aside.
    Heat at least 1½ inches of oil in a heavy-bottomed pot to 350°F. While the oil is heating, slice the tortillas into triangles or rectangle strips. Fry the tortilla pieces in batches, being sure not to crowd the pot, until the bubbling slows, about 1 minute. Remove the chips with a slotted spoon and place them in a paper bag. Sprinkle with the reserved spice mix and shake to coat. Pour the coated chips onto the prepared baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes to crisp.
    These chips are naturally gluten-free .
    For vegan Nacho Cheese Tortilla Chips, omit the Cheese Powder. You’ll have a less cheesy, but equally delicious, snack.

crunchy cheese puffs
3 TO 4 CUPS PUFFS
    It’s no small feat to create perfectly textured Crunchy Cheese Puffs. First you make one of the weirdest doughs you’ve ever made. Then you steam it. Then you dry it. And then, only then, do you fry it. But I think somewhere out there are people like me who are just nutty enough to take on the challenge. Do be aware that the puffs need to dry for up to 10 hours so plan accordingly
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    ½ cup (90 grams) tapioca starch
    ⅛ cup (20 grams) finely ground corn flour (not masa harina)
    1 teaspoon salt
    1 teaspoon cane sugar
    1 ounce grated, loosely packed sharp cheddar cheese (or cheese of your choice), melted with 1 tablespoon of water
    ⅛ to ¼ cup (1 to 2 ounces) hot water, plus more for steaming
    Safflower oil, for frying
    Salt
    Cheese Powder ( this page )
    Bring a large pot of water, fitted with a steamer tray, to a boil. Line the steamer with a lightly oiled sheet of parchment.
    Combine the tapioca starch, corn flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the dough blade. Add the melted cheese and pulse until the mixture resembles