Rosemary Olive Oil Crackers

Once you’ve made and tasted these, you will never buy crackers again. They’re a cinch to make, incredibly moreish and will keep well for weeks.

MAKES ABOUT 800 G (1 LB 12 OZ) OF CRACKERS

INGREDIENTS

275 g (9¾ oz/1 ½ cups) semolina flour

220 g (7¾ oz/1 ½ cups) white whole-wheat flour OR plain (all-purpose) flour + extra, for dusting

1 teaspoon salt

250 ml (9 fl oz/1 cup) warm water

80 ml (2½ fl oz/¹/₃ cup) extra virgin olive oil

2–3 tablespoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped

METHOD

To make the crackers, combine all the ingredients in the bowl of an electric stand mixer with a dough hook attachment, and hook on the lowest setting for about 2 minutes or until smooth. Knead the dough into a round ball, then place on a lightly floured work surface, covered with a moist tea towel, to rest for 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 170°C (325°F) fan-forced.

To roll out the dough, you can do it the old-fashioned way, with a rolling pin, or run it through a pasta maker so you have sheets about 1 mm (¹/₁₆ inch) thick. Make sure you keep lightly dusting your work surface and the dough, so it doesn’t stick. To cut the crackers, you can use a knife or a rotary cutter used for pizza or making pasta. Cut into whatever shape you want, whether it be dramatic shards that will look stunning on a cheese platter or small squares that are easy to handle.

Bake for about 20 minutes until golden. Cool before storing in an airtight container for 3–4 weeks.

NOTE

If you want to make these by hand, simply follow the same instructions, except use a regular mixing bowl and knead the ingredients until you have a smooth dough.