Today I baked whole-wheat, olive oil, seasalt, caraway seed crackers. I added the seeds to the recipe because I like them and they were right there, next to the seasalt.
The recipe made about twice as much as stated, maybe because I rolled them thinner. Anyway I did two batches.
This is where I bless Handsome Son for giving me a great rolling pin years ago, and myself for investing in a couple of dough scrapers. They help you pick up thin dough, score it, as here, so as to break up easily, once baked, and to clean up afterwards. My kind of tool.
Because you don't want to roll indefinitely and create the consistency of iron, you do have to allow for wavy edges. Not a problem if the crackers look artisanal, which mine definitely do. As long as they taste artisanal. They do that, too.
Batch one being lifted to avoid permanent attachment to the board
Dough scraper used to score cracker shapes.
Batch one cooled and bust up, looking artisanal
Batch two, cooling and looking like a continental map.
And this is where I give a shout to my long departed Mom, who never explained anything about cooking or baking to me, too busy doing it for a big family. I still learned a thing or two from watching.
Like rolling in one direction, lifting the pin at the end, carrying it back to reset at the beginning again. Not rolling back and forward. This avoids dough like iron. And rolling dough over the pin to move it. And lifting it to sprinkle more flour underneath. I think I imitate the way she handled a ball of dough. Especially breadmaking, forming a loaf before inserting it into the pan. And more.
I think this is how we live on, in the skills and attitudes we pass on. Anyway that's my hope.
Cheese, crackers and a glass of white moscato later. Cheers!
These crackers look amazing! And I love what you wrote about learning from your mom by watching her. :) So true.
ReplyDeleteThey are pretty good, simple stuff. One batch is in the freezer to accompany future soup, one in an airtight container for instant use!
ReplyDeleteI have better equipment than my mom, much better kitchen, more time, better budget, and yet I'm not so sure I'm a better cook.
They look so good! And you're so right in that they're far healthier than the store-bought versions. Happy 2020!
ReplyDeleteOne of my friends said what do you mean, you cook what you eat? What about things like crackers? She stared amazed when I said you can bake them at home! Hadn't occurred to her it was possible.
ReplyDeleteThey turned out so well! I'm guessing it would be hard to make enough to keep. They look to good to not doing them the justice of finishing them off.
ReplyDeleteThey are a bit like potato chips! Just one more. And they're HEALTHY. Or some such excuse..
ReplyDeleteI've made cheese straws in the ancient past, but never crackers that I recall. Been meaning to acquire one of those dough scrapers - they really are so useful! Tempted to try using a wide putty knife which does a similar job scraping the benches in the goat barn. Not going to use THAT one in the kitchen, though ;)
ReplyDeleteThey were not very expensive, came in a pack of two. I feel so professional using them! Just like those TV chefs.
ReplyDelete