I can't believe I have never done this before - make dry biscuits (crackers). They are so delicious and yet so easy, so healthy, so cheap and so wrapping free!!
This is my first attempt at making savoury crackers. They are crisp, but soft, and slightly nutty with the sesame seeds. I like that they are not over-salted and are free of sugar and other unnecessary additives.
Like many families, mine loves biscuits and dip. I have tried for a long time to buy the 'healthiest' version of dry biscuits - without GMOs, without MSG, without palm oil. It's difficult finding good ones though. I recently stood in the dry biscuit section at my local shops and was left, well 'dry', particularly now that I am trying to dramatically cut plastic wrapping from our household.
So frustrated with the (lack of) options, and no longer wanting to create waste from packaged biscuits, I wondered what it would take to actually make nice crackers. These past few weeks I have been looking for recipes. For some strange reason, it had not crossed my mind to make savoury biscuits before. I have always preferred making my own sweet biscuits with good natural materials, but never these....mmm, silly really considering how easy it is.
After a little bit of research, I now have a long list of recipes that I'd like to experiment with and adapt. This was my first attempt tonight that got the thumbs up from my personal food critics.
I have started buying bulk flour (5kg) in compostable paper bags. The organic plain flour is what we use for making pancakes, biscuits, pasta ...and now crackers. I also love blending this with other flours - rye, spelt, kamut ... (The bowls behind are my soaking mung beans for sprouts, soaking lentils, for tomorrow's dahl, and my precious jar of olives being prepared.)
After mixing and kneading the dough I chopped it into segments.
After rolling them thinly, I painted a little olive oil on top and sprinkled poppy seeds on some.
Ready to eat plain, with cheese or with dip. This afternoon Maia and I went to the cheese shop in Maleny and came home with a couple of tasty cheeses to have with our new experiment.
I quite like the haphazard shapes. I thought perhaps next time I might make them into thinner strips and give them a little twist for something different!
This is a vegan recipe.
Basic Cracker Recipe
1 cup of plain flour
45 ml olive oil
60 ml water
large spoonful of sesame seeds
a sprinkling of salt
Instructions:
Mix all the ingredients together.
Chop into segments
Roll as thin as you can without them breaking apart.
Brush a little olive oil on top and sprinkle some extra seeds if desired.
Cook at 200C/390F until just going brown on the edges (approx 10-12 mins)
Remove and cool.
If you don't eat them all right then and there, break them up and store in an airtight jar.
Flavour Variations
To add variety to this recipe I could add parmesan cheese, ground pepper, garden herbs (rosemary, oregano and thyme), chia seeds, seaweed strips, finely chopped garlic or kale. I might try replacing the water with mashed pumpkin. The options are endless.
I'm keen to try out some of the other recipes too and test out some gluten free options too.
I am so surprised at how easy this was. I'm confident I can completely miss the biscuit aisle now - hooray.
