High-Tech Crackers
- 3 cups hard whole wheat flour, or more as necessary
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups warm water
- Grated Parmesan
- Cayenne
- Coarse salt
- Sesame seeds
- Cumin seed
- You will need a food processor, several 10 by 14-inch baking sheets or pizza pans, a pizza cutter or a sharp knife, and a clean spray bottle.
- Place the flour and salt in a food processor and process for 10 seconds to mix thoroughly.
- With the motor running, add the water in a steady stream, then process for 10 seconds longer.
- The dough should have formed into one large ball; if not, feel the dough: If it feels very sticky, add 3 to 4 tablespoons more flour and process briefly until a ball forms.
- If the dough feels dry and floury, start the processor again, add 2 to 3 tabespoons more water, and process until a ball of dough forms.
- Once you have a ball of dough, process for 1 minute more, no longer.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 30 seconds or so.
- Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 500 degrees, and place two racks near the center of the oven.
- Divide the dough into 8 pieces.
- Work with one piece at a time, leaving the other pieces covered.
- On a lightly floured surface, with lightly floured hands, flatten a piece of dough with your palms.
- Then roll it out to a very thin rectangle or round, as even a thinness as possible to ensure even cooking.
- Gently lift the dough from your rollling surface and place it on a large baking sheet or pizza pan.
- Sprinkle on one of the optional toppings or leave plain.
- Using a knife or a pizza cutter, cut through the dough to make rectangular crackers.
- (Don't worry if they are not all exactly the same size.
- Variations in size and flavor will make your crackers interesting.)
- Spray the dough lightly with water and place on the upper oven rack.
- Begin rolling out the next piece of dough, keeping an eye on the crackers already baking.
- (Crackers brown from underneath.)
- Check on them 2 1/2 to 3 minutes after they go in.
- As soon as the thinnest patches of the dough have started to brown, take them out.
- If necessary, continue baking, checking every 30 seconds, but it is better to take the crackers out a little early than too late.
- You will soon get a feel for timing and degree of doneness.
- Variables that affect timing are the heat of your oven and how thin you managed to roll out your dough.
- When they come out of the oven, some of the crackers will be crisp, while others will need a little time in the air to crisp up.
- Transfer to a large bowl, breaking up any incompletely separated crackers.
- Roll out the remaining dough, season, and bake.
- When completely cool, crackers can be stored in a well-sealed plastic bag or cookie tins for up to a month.
whole wheat flour, salt, water, parmesan, cayenne, salt, sesame seeds, cumin
Taken from www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/high-tech-crackers-recipe.html (may not work)