CHEESE CRACKERS OR SNACKS HAVING A PASTA SHAPE ARE PRODUCED BY ADMIXING AT LEAST ONE FLOUR, CHEESE, AND WATER TO OBTAIN A DOUGH HAVING A REAL CHEESE CONTENT OF FROM ABOUT 5% BY WEIGHT, TO ABOUT 60% BY WEIGHT, BASED UPON THE WEIGHT OF THE DOUGH, EXTRUDING THE DOUGH AT A PRESSURE AND TEMPERATURE WHICH AVOID SUBSTANTIAL GELATINIZATION OF STARCH AND EXPANSION OF THE DOUGH. THE DOUGH IS EXTRUDED THROUGH A DIE TO OBTAIN A SHAPED DOUGH ROPE, WHICH MAY BE CUT AT THE DIE INTO SHAPED DOUGH PIECES. THE SHAPED DOUGH PIECES MAY BE BAKED OR FRIED TO OBTAIN SHAPED CHEESE CRACKERS OR SNACKS IN THE FORM OF A PASTA SHAPE, SUCH AS A HOLLOW, GRID, HELIX OR SPIRAL SHAPE. ADDITIONALLY, THE CRACKERS OR SNACKS EXHIBIT A NON-GLASSY CRISPY OR CRUNCHY, TEXTURE, AND A LEAVENED, NON-PUFFED CELL STRUCTURE.
