Use up your discard starter in these addictive and easy to make crackers! Keep them simple or flavor them with whatever you like; see suggestions below.
4Tablespoonscold, unsalted butter, cut into small cubes (use vegan butter to make these vegan!)
1 to 1 1/2cupsliquid sourdough starter, or enough to make a firm dough(8 - 12 oz.)
a few tablespoons olive oil for brushing
coarse sea salt (such as maldon) for sprinkling
Instructions
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar and salt. Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles cornmeal, and no large chunks remain. Gradually mix in the starter until the dough begins to clump together, adding more starter directly to the crumbly bits as necessary to make a very firm dough, similar in consistency to pie dough. Gather into a ball, and knead a few times to make sure the dough is homogenous.
Wrap in plastic wrap or a plastic bag, and let rest at room temperature for 20 minutes to and hour, or in the fridge for a day or two.
Preheat the oven to 350º. Line two half sheet pans or cookie sheets with parchment paper. Divide the dough in half, and keep one half covered with plastic while you work with the other. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough as thinly and evenly as you can without tearing it. Brush the crackers all over with a thin layer of olive oil and top with a light sprinkle of salt or any other desired topping (see below). Using a pizza wheel or large knife, cut the crackers into whatever shapes you like, such as rectangles, diamonds, or squares. Transfer crackers to the sheet pans and repeat with the second half of the dough.
Bake the crackers for about 15 minutes, rotating them front to back and top to bottom halfway through, or until they are golden brown. They will still be a bit soft, but will crisp up when they cool. If they are not crisp enough, return them to the oven. Let cool. Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks.
Notes
VARIATIONS:Other topping suggestions:
nutritional flake yeast and curry powder
minced rosemary and black pepper
fresh thyme and lemon zest
grated parmesan and fresh oregano
smoked paprika and grated manchego
add a tablespoon of sesame, poppy, mustard, or cumin seeds (or a combination) to the dough, and top with more seeds
Serving suggestion: Mix some fresh goat cheese with enough milk or heavy cream to make it spreadable. Add minced basil, lemon zest, salt and pepper to taste.Nutritional values are based on one cracker