Submitted by Judy on Thu, 01/12/2012 - 14:45
Savory Crackers
If you're yearning for something that you used to eat that came in little squares, or possibly shaped like fish, give these a try. Roll them as thin as you can (roll right onto the baking sheet) for maximum crispness, freeze the rolled dough before baking it, and bake them until they are starting to brown, so that they crisp when they cool.
My kids and a friend (that would make a total of three small people) devoured almost an entire batch in one sitting. I believe that translates into a 'thumbs-up.'
- 3/4 c. Cooqi Multi-Purpose Flour
- ¼ c. almond meal
- ½ tsp. salt
- 1/4 c. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, chilled, diced
- 8 oz. cheddar cheese, grated
- 1 tsp. red pepper flakes (optional)
- 3 to 4 T. water
Place flour, almond meal, salt, and butter in a food processor. Pulse several times, until the mixture resembles coarse meal, and there are no large butter chunks. Add the cheese (and pepper flakes if using); pulse to combine. Add 3 tablespoons of water, one tablespoon at a time, pulsing after each addition, until the mixture comes together in a ball. If the dough is still not forming a ball, add another tablespoon of water and pulse until the dough holds together. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place chilled dough on a baking sheet, and roll out to approx. 1/8-inch thick (or as thin as you can get it). It helps to place a sheet of waxed paper or plastic between dough and roller, to prevent the dough from sticking. Roll dough to cover baking sheet as evenly as possible. Score the rolled dough with a pastry cutter or knife into 1-inch-by-1-inch squares (or diamonds, if you’re feeling fancy). Place baking sheet in the freezer for 15 minutes.
Remove from freezer and place directly into oven. Bake until deep golden brown and crunchy, 12-15 minutes. You may find that the crackers at the outside of the sheet bake more quickly than those on the inside. Just remove the done ones to a cooling rack and return the pan to finish baking the rest for another 2-3 minutes (you may want to space them out). Cool completely before serving.
Enjoy with your favorite cheese, spread, or dip (or plain!). A great alternative to chips for kids’ lunches or snacks.
Variations: • Seedy version: Omit cheese and pepper flakes; add 2T flax seeds, 1T sesame seeds, 1T poppy seeds • Just salt version: You can also just omit the cheese and pepper flakes, for a simple salted cracker • Herby version: Follow 'just salt' recipe, and add spices of your choice, including Italian (basil, garlic, oregano), curry (curry powder), chili (chili powder), or whatever combo you like