Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Olive Oil and Herb Crackers

Count down continues with only three more nights until Bianca returns home. We had tested this recipe before she left for camp but I have played around with it a bit while she was gone. Since I have had so many requests, or should I say demands, for this recipe, I decided to post it before she came home. Just hope she survived the thunder storms up at camp in her spring-bar tent!

This recipe came from an 'assignment' I was given. A few months ago, some friends and I met for lunch at the Dodo and had an appetizer with crisp flatbread and herbed goat cheese.  My friend Barbara turned to me and gave me the assignment; create a similar recipe at home. I found this recipe on another blog but have mixed it up a bit thanks to Millcreek Olive Oil.  You need to check this place out! I made this flatbread with his infused Meyer Lemon and Persian Lime Olive Oils and some fresh herbs from my garden. The combinations and variations of this recipe are endless. As always, I use freshly milled hard white winter wheat but this recipe should work just as well with all-purpose flour or a combination of AP flour and commercial whole wheat flour. ---Bianca's Mom

Ingredients:

1 & 3/4 cups white whole wheat flour
1 tablespoonful chopped herb such as rosemary or thyme
1 teaspoonful baking powder
3/4 teaspoonful Redmond Sea Salt
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil (or flavored oil)
extra salt

1.  Place baking stone or heavy baking sheet in oven and preheat to 450 degrees F.
2. Mix together dry ingredients and herb.
3. Mix together water and oil. Make a well in dry ingredients and pour water and oil into well. Slowly mix the flour into the liquid until it comes together as a dough.  Knead 4 or 5 times and then let rest, covered, for about 10 minutes.
4. Divide dough into three pieces. Take one piece, while keeping other pieces covered, and roll it out on parchment paper into a 10 inch circle. Brush with additional oil and sprinkle with additional herb and salt, then use pastry cutter to cut into wedges, somewhat like a pizza. You can also roll it out into a rectangle and cut into squares.
5. Transfer entire piece of parchment paper to baking stone or sheet in oven and bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are browned and crispy.
6. Transfer to rack to cool and repeat with remaining two pieces. Discard parchment paper after each use.
7. Store in air-tight container at room temperature.

Options:
---great with hummus, cheese, pestos

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