Sesame Sourdough Crackers-Time to Discard Some Starter?

September 28, 2020

This project satisfies several kitchen itches, namely: makes good use of sourdough discard, shows some love for a neglected kitchen tool, and produces a simple, delicious cracker.

The original version of this recipe can be found at https://www.loveandoliveoil.com/2019/03/sourdough-crackers-with-olive-oil-herbs.html I had just purchased some toasted sesame seeds on sale at my local supermarket and decided to change it up just a bit.

Here is my version of the recipe:

Dry Ingredients:

1/2 cup (60g) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (60g) whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons (12g) rye flour
3 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
1/2 teaspoon salt

Wet Ingredients:

200 grams (about 1 cup) mature sourdough starter (100% hydration)
2 tablespoons (32g) extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoons (32g) toasted sesame oil

Finish:

Salt of choice for topping

Procedure

In a bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Add the wet ingredients. Mix to combine, kneading until the dough comes together in a smooth ball.Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours. Longer refrigeration results in an improved sour flavor.

Dough ball in bowl — Dough ball in a metal mixing bowl with a white dough scraper beside it.

Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours. Longer refrigeration results in an improved sour flavor.

Dough ball wrapped in plastic wrap on a white surface.

Position oven racks in the upper 1/3 and lower 1/3 of oven; preheat to 350 degrees F. Line four baking sheets with parchment or silicone baking mats.

Cut dough in half; put one half back in the fridge while you roll out the other.

Position a small bowl of flour on a kitchen scale and tare the scale (reset the scale to zero). Set your pasta machine to the desired thickness. Setting #5 (of 7) worked well for me.

Cut small pieces of dough and weigh each aiming for 10 gram pieces. Once your eye gets calibrated, this will go faster than you think. Roll each piece of dough in the flour before removing it from the scale.

Weighing dough pieces on a scale — Digital scale with a bowl of flour and a small piece of dough on top.

Shape each 10g piece into a small ball and run it through the pasta machine. Crank the machine with one hand and place the other under the machine to catch the formed cracker in your palm. It helps to lightly four your palm and move it away from the machine as the cracker is formed. I crank with my right and catch with my left but I'm left handed, so the opposite may work better for you.

Dough piece placed on pasta machine(1) — Person using a pasta machine to roll out dough.

Dough piece running through pasta machine(1) — Person feeding dough through a pasta machine roller.

Alternatively, each piece can be rolled into an oblong rectangle with a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface and cut to desired shapes.

Lay the crackers side by side on a parchment-covered baking sheet.

Laying out cracker dough on cookie sheet(3) — Hand pressing dough with fingers on a floured surface.

Spritz or brush lightly with water; sprinkle with salt.

Brushing cracker dough with water(1) — Hand flattening dough with a rolling pin on a floured surface.

Sprinkling salt on cracker dough — Dough rolled out on a floured surface.

Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until lightly golden brown and crispy, rotating the pans top to bottom and back to front part way through baking.

Baked crackers(2) — Sliced dough pieces on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.

Let cool, then transfer crackers to a cooling rack. Repeat with remaining dough.

Crackers will keep nestled in wax paper in an airtight container at room temperature for about a month

One of the things I love about this recipe is that it adapts well to different flours, oils and herbs. Once you get the basics down, the possibilities are endless. One note of caution, I tried it once with fennel seeds and found they had a tendency to catch and tear the dough as it rolled through the pasta machine. Perhaps grinding them in a spice grinder would have been a better choice? At any rate, they were still delicious!!

Crackers ready to serve on a plate(2) — Cooked, breaded cutlets arranged on a plate with a decorative border.

Enjoy!