Tasty, low-fat whole wheat and rye crackers are delicious all by themselves or a perfect foil for dips, bean purées, salsas and sauces. Season them any way you like!
Cathy Katin-Grazzini
Cathy's Kitchen Prescription LLC
www.cathyskitchenprescription.com
Rosemary Sourdough Crackers
Prep time = 15 minutes + 8-hour ferment
Baking time 20-30 minutes
Makes 30-50 crackers, depending on diameter & thickness
If you have a sourdough “pet” like I do & feed it regularly, it will likely tend to outgrow it's container. Don't throw the excess away! Instead, make some tasty crackers! Full of fiber, phytonutrients, & omega-3 fats, these rye/wheat crackers are a far more delicious and healthier alternative to the overly processed fattening name brands! Seasoned with herbs and spices of your choosing, they're tasty enough to stand on their own or serve as a beautiful foil for dips, salsas, bean pureés and sauces.
Ingredients
¾ cup whole wheat and/or rye sourdough starter
¾ teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary or other hardy herbs or herb blend (sage, thyme, marjoram)
4 tablespoons freshly ground golden flaxseeds
¾- 1 cup whole wheat flour, or as needed to create pliable dough and to dust board
¼ tsp sea salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Warm water, as needed
Top with seeds (poppy, chia, sesame, caraway), dusting with salt (optional), coarse black pepper, paprika, chili powders, or onion flakes
Directions Preheat oven to 350°F/175°C Bake for 20-30 minutes
In a bowl mix the starter with the rosemary, ground flax, seasonings. Add sufficient flour, mixing with your hand, to create a soft, slightly sticky, pliable dough. Transfer to a lightly floured board. Knead the dough for a few minutes, adding just enough flour, if needed, to be able to knead it without sticking to the board. Stretch and fold the dough a few times, in different directions. Gather into a ball, dust with flour, return to the bowl, cover with wrap, refrigerate overnight or for about 8 hours.
Remove dough from the fridge, leave covered on the countertop 2 hours in advance of baking to warm to room temp. On a dusted board, roll out as thinly as you like. Cut out shapes with a cookie cutter, an inverted glass, or slice into rectangles or diamonds.
Transfer to a parchment-covered baking sheet. With a pastry brush, dipped in water, lightly brush each cracker and top with seeds and spices as desired. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes (check at 15) for doneness. Do not overbake or spices will taste bitter and acrid. Crackers may continue to crisp up as they cool. Remove from oven when firm, golden, and fragrant. Transfer for a cooling rack.
If crackers soften upon cooling, they may be slightly underbaked. Just pop them back in the oven for 5 minutes to crisp up. These crackers freeze beautifully; to maintain their crispiness, freeze any excess crackers.
Enjoy!