This is a simple but versatile recipe, and if you’ve been making bread at home, it’s a handy way of using up excess sourdough starter. The crackers are great served with cheese, as a canapé base or just as a snack on their own. Once you realise how easy these are to make, you’ll never buy an overpriced packet of crackers again.
Makes 2 trays.
Ingredients 9
115 g rye flour
250 g liquid sourdough starter, see my starter recipe
tsp flaky sea salt, plus extra for sprinkling
60 g olive oil, plus extra for brushing
1 Tsp Of A Suggested Topping Below
za’atar, optional
nigella seeds, optional
dried thyme, optional
sesame seeds, optional
dried rosemary, optional
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Method 6
Combine the , , , and herbs, if using, in a medium bowl. Use your hands to mix a dough that is quite firm and dry to touch – it should be similar to a pasta dough or playdough. If the dough is too wet, add a little more flour. If it’s too dry, add extra oil, 1 teaspoon at a time.
Wrap the dough and put it in the fridge to firm up for at least 30 minutes, or overnight. It will keep for up to 5 days in raw form.
To bake the crackers, preheat the oven to 170°C (340°F). Put the dough on a lightly floured kitchen bench and divide it into two portions (or as many as needed), then roll it into thin sheets about 1 mm (1⁄32 in) thick. To make life really easy, use a pasta machine for this task if you have one.
At this point, you need to decide the form for your crackers. You can bake them in long sheets to be broken up once crisp, or cut them into squares for more precise portions. If you want neat edges, use a knife to trim them or a fluted pastry cutter for a fancy finish.
Line two baking trays with baking paper. Put the dough sheets or squares on the lined trays, lightly brush with and sprinkle with and your desired seeds or spices, if using. Bake for about 20 minutes, turning and swapping the trays halfway through, until the crackers start to brown around the edges.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store for 1 week in an airtight container.
Urbanstead's tips
You can alter the flavour by using different flours; wholemeal or spelt are excellent. And you can make almost endless variations – if using seeds or spices to flavour your crackers, just sprinkle them on top before baking so they toast a little. When flavouring with dried herbs, I prefer to incorporate them into the dough along with the salt and olive oil before mixing. This prevents them burning in the oven.
Here are some flavour and serving suggestions for your crackers:
Za’atar - serve with hummus
Nigella seeds - serve with goat’s curd and sliced roasted beetroot
Dried thyme - serve with baba ganoush
Sesame seeds - serve with avocado and furikake
Dried rosemary - serve with chicken liver or mushroom pâté
