You Know You Want a Cracker!

Who makes crackers? Is that even allowed? And why would you? Don't they just come in boxes that you pick up at the grocery store? Well, yes, they do. And they're pretty tasty, too. Although a bit pricey, don't you think?


However, do-it-yourself crackers are a definite possibility. They, too, are tasty. You can include some nutritious ingredients and leave out all the preservatives.  They won't last long enough to need preservatives. And the price? Well, you won't save much money if you buy all the ingredients just make one batch, but if you plan to make them often or use the ingredients in other recipes, they fit well into to the frugal budget.


I love these rustic Seeded Sourdough Crackers. You can use a variety of seeds or just one kind, the choice is yours. 

The healthy basis of your crackers.

In a large bowl measure:
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup ground flax seed (flaxseed meal)
1/2 teaspoon salt
(You'll add a little all-purpose flour later.)


Add

Sourdough starter is white and has a tangy scent.

2/3 cup sourdough starter
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup olive oil

Mix together well. Add enough all-purpose flour to make a stiff dough. 

Gather it all together and knead it just a little. Four or five, maybe eight times should be enough. It is a fairly soft, silky dough. Divide into halves and flatten into discs. 

Don't add salt until your done rolling.

Scatter 1-2 tablespoons of seeds onto your work surface. I used a combination of sesame, poppy, flax and coarsely chopped raw sunflower seeds, but you could use just one or any combination you like. I was given a handy-dandy silicone baking mat for Christmas and it is perfect work surface for this, but your counter top will work fine, too. Place your disc of dough on the seeds and roll out quite thin. Pick up the dough, scatter another 1-2 tablespoons of seeds on your work surface, flip over your dough and continue rolling until dough is 1/8 thick or less. The seeds should be firmly embedded in the dough, but a few may fall off. Transfer to a sprayed baking sheet. I used my pizza stone, but a cookie sheet is fine, too. If desired, sprinkle cracker dough with kosher salt. (I set my second disc of dough aside and repeated above directions after I baked the first batch and the stone had cooled.)

Using a pizza cutter, cut into desired shapes; about 1 1/2 inches seems to be a nice size.


Bake in a 400 degree oven for 7-9 minutes. Watch closely the last few minutes. You want them to be very brown and crisp, but not burnt, of course. Remove from the oven, let cool slightly and enjoy! They are the perfect dipper for your hummus. Try them.

For a printable recipe, click here.