Sea Salt And Pepper Crackers

Serves: 5

Felicia King

1 January 1970

Based on User reviews:

52

Spice

45

Sweetness

53

Sourness

34

mins

Prep time (avg)

4.8

Difficulty

Ingredients:

1.5 tsps

Baking Powder

Directions:

1

Preheat oven to 375°F with racks in upper and lower thirds

2

Brush 2 large baking sheets generously with oil

3

Toast 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper in a dry small skillet (not nonstick) over medium heat, shaking skillet occasionally, until fragrant, about 1 minute

4

Cool pepper

5

Whisk together flour, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon table salt in a bowl (or pulse in a food processor)

6

Add shortening and blend into flour mixture with a pastry blender or your fingertips (or pulse in processor) until most of mixture resembles coarse meal with some roughly pea-size lumps

7

Drizzle evenly with 1/2 cup ice water and gently stir with a fork (or pulse) until incorporated

8

Squeeze a small handful: If it doesn't hold together, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring (or pulsing) until incorporated, then test again

9

Divide dough into 2 portions and flatten each into a 3-inch square

10

Roll out each square on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin into a 20- by 8-inch rectangle

11

Trim edges and sprinkle each sheet with teaspoon toasted pepper

12

Run rolling pin lightly over dough to embed pepper in pastry

13

Brush each sheet with 1 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle each with 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

14

Cut sheets crosswise with a small sharp knife into 1-inch-wide strips (straight or wavy)

15

Arrange strips evenly spaced in 1 layer on baking sheets and bake, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until golden, 16 to 20 minutes total

16

Transfer to racks to cool

17

Preheat oven to 375°F with racks in upper and lower thirds

18

Brush 2 large baking sheets generously with oil

19

Toast 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper in a dry small skillet (not nonstick) over medium heat, shaking skillet occasionally, until fragrant, about 1 minute

20

Cool pepper

21

Whisk together flour, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon table salt in a bowl (or pulse in a food processor)

22

Add shortening and blend into flour mixture with a pastry blender or your fingertips (or pulse in processor) until most of mixture resembles coarse meal with some roughly pea-size lumps

23

Drizzle evenly with 1/2 cup ice water and gently stir with a fork (or pulse) until incorporated

24

Squeeze a small handful: If it doesn't hold together, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring (or pulsing) until incorporated, then test again

25

Divide dough into 2 portions and flatten each into a 3-inch square

26

Roll out each square on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin into a 20- by 8-inch rectangle

27

Trim edges and sprinkle each sheet with teaspoon toasted pepper

28

Run rolling pin lightly over dough to embed pepper in pastry

29

Brush each sheet with 1 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle each with 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

30

Cut sheets crosswise with a small sharp knife into 1-inch-wide strips (straight or wavy)

31

Arrange strips evenly spaced in 1 layer on baking sheets and bake, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until golden, 16 to 20 minutes total

32

Transfer to racks to cool