Crackers, but Not Nuts

I absolutely had to step away from the computer today and this endless project. I'm drowning in minutia and technical details. I couldn't bear to focus on it. Tomorrow is, as they say, another day.

So I naturally ended up in the kitchen, determined to start to get a handle on cracker making, since these are so very expensive to buy. And I am rather pleased with my efforts. I pulled out the King Arther Baker's Companion and found a simple basic cracker recipe that you can change up any number of ways. Though frankly a novice cook would likely be somewhat flummoxed by the fast and loose method and ingredient list.

I used barley flour, regular KA flour, butter, and sour cream as the liquid, since D for some reason purchased a 16-oz container of it. These aren't the most flavorful, but they did turn out crisp and tasting somewhat nutty from the barley. I'd add a lot more salt next time.

Then I decided to try something, called Carta di Musica (also called Sardinian parchment bread), using the pizza stone.  This is basically a big cracker that you bake for only a few minutes, turn over and bake another few minutes, then brush with olive oil, sprinkle with coarse salt, and throw a few rosemary leaves on top. Not bad; in fact, D got me thinking about making these and seeing whether they would sell at the farmers' market up here. They break up with a satisfying snap and would be good with any sort of dip, hummus, what have you. And I've seen similar things at Whole Foods for a lot of $$. The most expensive ingredient with these is the olive oil, and that's a scant brushing. 

Surprisingly, they didn't puff up like pita, which I thought they would. 

Looking forward to a rerun of The Good Life tonight. Then up and attem tomorrow in the world of allied health.