Talyth

Ingredients

• 1.75 cups all-purpose flour
• 1.5 cups finely grated aged Asiago cheese
• 1.5 tablespoons onion powder
• 1.5 tablespoons minced fresh thyme
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1.5 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• 8 tablespoons very cold unsalted butter, cut into 16 slices
• ¼ cup whole milk
• 1 4-inch piece summer sausage, sliced ⅛ inch thick on a slight diagonal (see Cook's Note)

Instructions

1. In a food processor, combine the flour, cheese, onion powder, thyme, cornstarch, salt, black pepper, and cayenne and process for about 15 seconds. Scatter the butter slices over the flour mixture and pulse to cut the butter into the flour until the mixture has the texture of wet sand, about twelve 3-second pulses. With the motor running, add the milk through the feed tube and process until a dough just comes together, about 30 seconds (do not overprocess).
2. Transfer the dough to a work surface and knead, if necessary, a couple of times to bring it together. Divide the dough in half, and roll each half into a log measuring about 2½ inches in diameter and 3 inches long. Wrap each log with plastic wrap and refrigerate until very firm, at least 2 hours or up to 3 days.
3. With racks in the upper- and lower-middle positions, preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking mats, and set aside.
4. Unwrap the dough logs and, using a serrated knife, cut into thirty ¼-inch-thick rounds, giving them a quarter turn between each cut to help preserve the cylindrical shape. Arrange them on the prepared baking sheets about ½ inch apart. Place one slice of sausage onto each slice of dough, pressing to help it adhere.
5. Bake the talyth until lightly browned around the edges and on the bottom, 24 to 28 minutes, swapping and rotating the baking sheets halfway through. Remove the sheets from the oven and, working quickly, use the underside of a dinner fork to gently press the sausage slices again so they adhere to the dough. Let the talyth cool on the baking sheets to room temperature before serving.