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A couple of cracker recipes

"Susannah Ayres-Thomas" <sthomas3@wi.rr.com>
Sun, 23 Jun 2002 09:51:21 -0500
v102.n027.11
This weekend, my daughter gave a party, and I made up some crackers for it, 
which everyone loved and requested recipes for.  I thought y'all might 
enjoy them too--crackers are among the easiest of breads to make, and these 
are particularly delicious ones.  The first is a Czech recipe for a cracker 
which calls for an unusual ingredient--sauerkraut.  They're really good 
with hot mustard and summer sausage, or just eaten by themselves:

Zelniky
(Recipe from "Prairie Home Breads" by Judith M Fertig)

3 c all-purpose flour
1 tsp white pepper
    (I used freshly ground black pepper, I like the flavor better)
3/4 shortening (I used unsalted butter)
2 c drained sauerkraut.

Preheat oven to 425 F.  Grease two cookie sheets and set aside.

Combine flour and pepper in food processor.  Add butter and pulse until 
mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Add sauerkraut and pulse until the dough 
starts to form a ball.

Transfer dough to a floured surface.  Pinch off tablespoon-sized balls of 
dough, roll them in flour, and place about 2 inches apart on the baking 
sheets.  Flatten with the bottom of a drinking glass, to about 1/4" thickness.

Bake for 10 minutes, then drop oven temp to 350F, and bake for 10-15 
minutes more, until the crackers are golden brown and crisp.  Let cool, and 
then store in an airtight container, for up to two weeks.  Makes about 50 
crackers.


The second recipe is a bit more "sophisticated", but also very easy, and 
just delicious.  They don't need anything added to them:

Cheddar-Pecan Crisps

Recipe from Gourmet Magazine

Butter two cookie sheets and set aside.

1 stick (1/2 c) unsalted butter
8 ounces cheddar cheese, coarsely grated (about 2 c)
1 large egg
1/2 tsp salt
   (I didn't add any salt--with the cheese, it really doesn't need it)
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
2/3 c all-purpose flour
2/3 c pecans, finely chopped

Beat together the butter and the cheese in a bowl with an electric mixer, 
then beat in the remaining ingredients, with the mixer if it's a strong 
one, or by hand if it is not.

Roll rounded teaspoons of dough into balls and place 2" apart.  Flatten 
each ball with the bottom of a drinking glass.  Bake in batches in middle 
of oven until golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes.

Cool on wire rack, then store in airtight container for up to one week.

Makes about 50 crackers.