Spelt Crackers

Who knew you could make crackers at home? Not me. Until I read about it on smitten kitchen, one of my favourite food blogs. We don’t usually buy crackers at the store. I’m a big fan of all the fancy-schmancy ones like Raincoast Crisps, but they’re so uber-expensive that I rarely splurge on them. But these crackers? They’re cheap, simple and delicious.

All you have to do is mix some spelt flour, yeast, salt and water in a bowl. The dough will be a bit shaggy, but keep mixing. When it’s starting to come together, stick your hands in there and bring it together in a ball. Dump it out onto the counter and knead it a few times. Then, roll it out into a large rectangle, score it into squares, spritz some water onto it, and sprinkle whatever you like on top. I decided on sesame seeds, poppy seeds, and flaky sea salt.

Pop it in the oven, and your job is done. When the crackers are browned and crispy, pull them out and break them apart. Wait until you taste them. They’re crackly, nutty, and perfect for snacking. With cheese or without.

I used spelt flour like the original recipe calls for, but I’m sure it would work with all-purpose as well, or a mixture of all-purpose and whole wheat. Since I had a big bag of whole spelt flour on hand, that’s what I used, and the crackers came out much browner in than smitten kitchen’s photos. They also took longer to bake – I think I sprayed them with a little two much water. You could top these with just about anything: a dusting of parmesan, caraway seeds, red pepper flakes, etc.