Herbed Wheat Crackers

A few weeks ago, I had plans of attending a potluck, so I whipped up my old faithful: Moroccan Carrot Dip.  My first instinct for the accompaniment was pita chips.  Instinctually I grabbed my keys to head to the grocery.  Then I stopped as I turned the door knob.  I could make my own crackers.  I had flour, dried herbs, olive oil and water.  Easy enough.  And I could make them whatever size and shape and thickness my heart desired.  What an empowering thought.  I would be using 100% of pre-stocked home ingredients for the dip and the crackers and 100% creative energy.

They turned out to be such a success that I have made them twice now.  Each time I experiment in an attempt to improve and make them a little different.  So the recipe below is Test #2.  I doubled the spices from the first time, and it seems to work out nicely.  Above is a picture of the dough taken right after thunking it onto the parchment.  The texture is not what I would expect dough to feel like, so keep that in mind.  This is probably because of the olive oil in it.  This picture makes it look almost like pearl couscous.  But once you start handling it, and form a ball, it is quite soft (and heavy).

I used a pizza cutter to slice them into shapes.  Cookie cutters would also be an interesting way to cut them.  So if you have some, experiment with different shapes.  A few of my crackers bubbled into pocket style crackers.  So I recommend taking a fork to poke holes into the dough before baking so that doesn't happen to you. 

It is worth experimenting with different flours too.  If you choose to use just all purpose, the crackers will probably be a little lighter.  Oat flour would add a nice grainy texture.  Or a blend of wheat and rice flour may be on the docket.  Making crackers is also an inspiration for other dip recipes too.  What a synergistic event...one inspiration leading to another.  Watch out kitchen, we are entering a whole new territory...

Herbed Wheat Crackers

Yields 30-36 crackers depending on size of each

These nice little crackers look and taste pretty similar to Wheat Thins...not as sweet, because I didn't add any sugar.  But texture and color are quite close.  I added dried parsley and sage.  But you can add any type of herb like basil or rosemary or oregano.  Some Parmesan cheese sprinkled into the dough might be nice too.

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup all purpose flour

2 Tbsp dried parsley

1 tsp dried sage

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/8 tsp salt + extra for sprinkling

2 Tbsp olive oil

5 Tbsp cold water

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  In a food processor, pulse the two flours together.  Add the parsley, sage, pepper, and salt.  Pulse until blended.  While the processor is running, drizzle the olive oil and then the water through the feed tube.  The dough will look crumbly, but it isn't.  The oil holds it all together.

Plop the dough on a sheet of parchment paper that will fit onto a baking sheet.  Roll into a ball in your hands.  With a rolling pin (or pint glass if you don't have a rolling pin, like me) roll the dough as thin as possible.  Sprinkle with salt.  Give the dough about 10 minutes to relax after all the rolling.

With a pizza cutter, cut the dough into whatever shape crackers suits your fancy...squares, circles, triangles...what have you.  Bake in oven until crisp, about 10-12 minutes.  Turn off the heat, and let the crackers sit in the oven for another 3 minutes.  Remove and let cool completely.  Enjoy any way you like to eat crackers...or scrackers as my friend A says (crackers + made from scratch= scrackers).