Seeded Crackers

Submitted by gailanng

"Weighing the flour makes for a more accurate dough consistency. If you're having a hard time, add 1 tablespoon water to help it out. From Fine Cooking. The best cracker you'll ever make."

 

• Ready In: 40mins
• Ingredients: 10
• Yields: 3 1/2 dozen

ingredients

• For the topping

• 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds (or mixture of both) or 1 tablespoon black sesame seed (or mixture of both)
• 2 teaspoons poppy seeds
• 2 teaspoons fennel or 2 teaspoons caraway seeds
• 3⁄4 teaspoon kosher salt

• For the dough

• 1 1⁄2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, more for rolling (6 3/4 ounces)
• 1⁄2 cup whole wheat flour (2 ounces)
• 1 teaspoon table salt
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• Variation

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
• 1⁄4 teaspoon fine sea salt

directions

1. Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and heat the oven to 450°F.
2. To make the topping: In a small bowl, stir the sesame seeds, poppy seeds and fennel or caraway seeds. Fill another small bowl with water; set it aside along with a pastry brush and the kosher salt.
3. To make the dough: In a large bowl, whisk the all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour and table salt. Add the olive oil and 1/2 cup water to the flour; stir with a rubber spatula until it collects into a soft, crumbly ball of dough. Use the spatula or your hands to press the dough against the sides of the bowl to gather all the stray flour.
4. Set the dough on a lightly floured work surface and portion it into thirds. Pat each portion into a square. Set two squares aside and cover with a clean towel. Roll the remaining dough into a rectangle about 1/16 inch thick and 7 or 8 inches wide by 14 or 15 inches long. Whenever you feel resistance, lift up one edge of the dough and sprinkle more flour underneath before you continue rolling. (Note: To use a pasta machine, it has been suggested to start on setting one, roll, double and re-roll to get close to a shape that can be cut without excess dough. Follow rolling steps from settings two to four, then double again to correct the shape. Roll on setting five, finally on setting six. Place the sheets directly on a silicone baking sheet liner. Remember, dough will be very stiff.).
5. With a pastry brush, brush the dough lightly with water and sprinkle about a third of the seed mix evenly over the surface. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon of the kosher salt. (Note: At this point, using a lightly floured rolling pin to roll over seeds will help them adhere better to the cracker.) With a dough scraper, pizza cutter, ravioli cutter or sharp knife, cut the dough in half lengthwise and then cut across to make rectangles roughly 2 by 4 inches. It's not necessary to trim the edges; rustic edges add character. If using a silicone sheet as your work surface it is, also, not nessary to separate; they will shrink. If desired, prick with a fork.).
6. Transfer to an unlined baking sheet. Bake until nicely browned, about 6 -10 minutes depending on your oven. Let cool on a wire rack.
7. While each batch is baking, clean your work surface as needed and repeat the rolling and cutting with the remaining portions of dough. Store the cooled crackers in a zip-top plastic bag. They’ll keep for up to a week.
8. Variations: Rosemary & Sea Salt Crackers: Add 2 Tbs. chopped fresh rosemary to the dry ingredients in the dough. Skip the seed topping and instead sprinkle each batch of crackers with 1/4 teaspoons fine sea salt.