Crisp Sesame Olive Oil Crackers
If you’ve never made crackers, start here
If you have not made your own crackers yet, you are in for a surprise. Homemade crackers are easy, far less expensive than buying anything of similar quality, which you would be hard pressed to find in most stores, and so much better fresh.
The flour makes a big difference here, since it is the main component of this recipe. Fresh flour is something I do recommend you seek out if possible. In Western Washington there are many fresh mill options, which is a very fortunate situation to have. In other places it may be less prominent, but check your local co-op grocer, especially the bulk section, and if nothing else many great mills have online shopping options to buy directly from them.
You can absolutely experiment with different flours for these crackers and adjust as needed, but making them this way at least once will help you understand how the dough should feel so you can work from there. I love using a 50 50 mix of Fairhaven Mill AP and Cairnspring Mill Expresso, or a 00 flour.
Crisp Sesame Olive Oil Crackers
Yield
6-8 tostada sized rounds, 20 crackers, or 2 large sheets
Total Time
20 minutes active, 1 to 2 hours inactive
Ingredients
1 cup + 3 TBLS (130 g) all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon (2g) baking powder
1/2 teaspoon (2g) sea salt
1/4 cup (56 g) white wine or water
2.5 tablespoons (35 g) extra virgin olive oil
flaky sea salt
raw sesame seeds
Equipment
Kitchen scale with grams, recommended
Rolling pin or pasta sheeter
Method
Combine the flour, sea salt, and baking powder in a bowl and whisk to distribute evenly.
Add the olive oil, and the white wine or warm water. You can also use warm water with a small splash of wine vinegar. Different wines will give slightly different flavors and colors.
Mix the dough by hand until it comes together, then transfer it to a work surface and knead for about three minutes. It may start out feeling dry and difficult to combine, then sticky, but it will become smooth. Do not add more flour or oil to work or over knead.
Wrap or bag the dough and let it rest for one to two hours.
Preheat the oven to 400F and line a 13 by 18 inch sheet tray with parchment. Divide the dough and roll it thin, like pasta sheets. Thinner makes a lighter, crisper cracker. Slightly thicker gives a sturdier bite. If the dough resists, set it aside for 10 minutes to rest. Just before you finish rolling, sprinkle sesame seeds and flaky salt over the surface, then roll again to press them into the dough. You can also use zaatar, crushed black pepper, chile flakes, or plain salt. If using a pasta roller or sheeter, roll to about setting 6. Sprinkle the seeds and press them in after using the sheeter.
Cut the rolled dough into whatever shapes you like using a pizza wheel or pasta cutter, which makes this quick and easy. You can also leave the sheets whole and break them into pieces after baking or portion the dough into six to eight even balls and roll each one into a rustic round for tostada style crackers meant for topping and eating like little flatbreads.
Bake one rack below the center of the oven for about nine minutes, or until lightly golden. Bake 2-5 minutes longer for extra toasty crackers.
Let cool completely before eating. Store in an airtight container. These keep best for about one week. If they soften, re toast for a few minutes at 350F to restore crispness.