Kaasballetjes

It's funny how the brain can lead one down many, many rabbit holes. 

I was adding a video on our YouTube channel about Nico Molenaar, a former fisherman from Volendam, who dedicated part of his life to creating mosaics from cigar bands. If you're ever in Volendam, be sure to visit the Volendam Museum, where his work is still on display for all to admire. 

But I digress. 

As I was editing the video, I found myself wondering where all those cigar bands came from. That made me think of the cigars my opa would smoke, usually on special occasions: weddings, funerals, and family celebrations. From there, my thoughts drifted to smoking in general, and suddenly I remembered the decorative glass filled with single cigarettes that sat on a side table in our living room, ready for guests during visiteavond, the visiting evening.

For generations, the visiteavond was a fixture of Dutch family life. Friends, neighbors, cousins, colleagues, and relatives would stop by after dinner for coffee, conversation, and perhaps a small snack. It was neither a special occasion nor an organized event. It was simply what people did. 

For many Dutch people, the word visiteavond immediately evokes a flood of memories. There was no background music. The television remained off. People discussed work, family, local news, holidays, and neighborhood happenings. Us kids often disappeared upstairs to play, leaving the adults to talk for hours, and I mean HOURS! 

A typical visiteavond began with coffee and a biscuit or cake. Later in the evening, if the visit continued, a small drink might appear alongside a selection of savory snacks: chips, salted nuts, cubes of cheese (often topped with a slice of pickle or candied ginger), slices of liverwurst, mustard for dipping, and if you were lucky, hot snacks like bitterballen or today's recipe, kaasballetjes, little fried cheese balls. The goal was not to impress guests with culinary skills, but to make them feel welcome, and to create a sense of "gezelligheid". 

To an outsider, it might sound unimaginably simple, but I remember those evenings fondly - and often long for an evening of visiting for hours and hours. Today, the tradition has largely faded, replaced by busy schedules, television, social media, and gatherings that require weeks of planning. 

Fortunately, these tasty cheese balls are quick to make, so there's no excuse to round up a couple of friends, invite them over, and have a good ole' visiteavond to reconnect! Veel plezier! 

Kaasballetjes

2 eggs

3 heaping tablespoons (35 grams) flour, divided

3.5 cups (350 grams) shredded aged Gouda (or Sharp Cheddar) cheese

Oil for frying

Optional: black pepper, parsley, mustard

Beat the two eggs with two tablespoons flour until there are no lumps, and mix in the cheese. Continue to mix for a good two minutes, until the cheese strands have more or less broken down and you have more of a cheesy paste. If you want, you can add black pepper, or parsley, or a small dollop of mustard to give it some extra flavor. 

Roll the mixture into large marble size balls, weighing approx. 0.8 oz/25 grams each. Place them in a container, cover and refrigerate until you are ready to fry these up. 

Heat your fryer to 350F/175C. Take the kaasballetjes out of the fridge. Roll each one in the tablespoon of flour, and fry them in the oil. You're looking for a golden brown exterior, so about 3-4 minutes each. Always test one first, to see if you need to adjust the temperature! Not all fryers are accurate on their temp.

Serve hot, and dip in mustard or sweet chili sauce. Goes well with a cold beer! 

If you prefer a crunchier outside, prepare them like bitterballen by rolling the cheese balls in egg and breadcrumbs.