Salted Cumin Seed Crackers
Salted Cumin Seed Crackers with Roasted Red Beet Hummus
Salted sourdough crackers are a wonderful snack for entertaining or taking on long road trips. These are simple to put together, so tasty by themselves and paired with a dip. For added flavor I mix in either whole cumin seeds or fennel seeds then top with coarse rock salt. These flavor crystals offer a delectable presentation and satisfying bite.
Prep time: 35 minutes
Bake time: 25 minutes
Total time: 1 hour
Ingredients
250 grams mature starter (discard)
20 grams extra virgin olive oil
4 grams fine sea salt
150 grams of whole wheat flour or bread flour (give or take a tablespoon)
1 - 2 tablespoons of water (just in case)
10 grams of cumin seeds or fennel seeds (if you’re feeling bold, mix them)
5 grams of rock salt (give or take a pinch, depends on how salty you like it)
Process
Mix mature starter, extra virgin olive oil, fine sea salt, and flour until the dough starts to come together and pulls away cleanly from the bowl. It should be moist but not sticky. If the dough is dry slowly add a drizzle of water until the dry bits combine into a smooth ball. If it’s too moist mix in a sprinkle of flour until the dough comes together in a smooth ball. Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 30 minutes to 4 hours on the countertop or stick the refrigerator overnight.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Lightly dust your work surface (using either rice flour or wheat flour) and turn the dough out onto the surface. Using a rolling pin slowly roll the dough out until it’s about 1/4 inch thick. If the dough sticks to the work surface, lightly dust the sticky area with flour and keep rolling. Then transfer the dough onto a baking sheet.
Evenly spread the cumin or fennel seeds out on the dough and lightly roll the rolling pin over to seal the seeds in the dough. I usually eye-ball the amount of rock salt so that there is an even amount sprinkled over the dough - making sure not to over do it since one little salt crystal packs a lot of flavor. Again, lightly pass the rolling pin over the salt to seal them in the dough.
Using a kitchen knife (or pizza cutter) slice the dough into bite size or serving size squares (I like the rhomboid shape) and then poke the dough all over with a fork to prevent bubbling while they bake.
Bake for 25 minutes or until desired crispness, turning the crackers half way through baking - this ensures even bake and prevents burning.
Allow the crackers to cool and they should easily break apart. Munch immediately or be the hit at your next potluck.
