Rosemary Parmesan Crackers

Rosemary Parmesan Crackers

These Rosemary Parmesan Crackers are so thin and crispy, and full of flavor. They are perfect for hostess gifts during the holidays, if you can bring yourself to give them away.

These Rosemary Parmesan Crackers are really hard to put down once you get started. This recipe makes about 4 dozen crackers, and I'm pretty sure I ate about half of them.

The crackers will stay fresh for up to a month when stored in an airtight container, which makes them perfect for make-ahead gifts.

You can place them in long cellophane gift bags and tie the bags closed with pretty ribbon and holiday gift tags. You could also pair them in a gift basket with a bottle of sparkling wine and a jar of briny olive tapenade.

To make these crackers, you will want the following tools:

1. A fluted pastry wheel for cutting the cracker strips. The pastry wheels are inexpensive, and give these crackers their pretty ruffled edges. 
2. Two large sheet pans, for baking. These are my favorites (I have six, I love them so much).
3. A rolling pin. I used my marble one for it's extra weight, but any rolling pin will do. 
4. A ruler, to measure your rolled out dough and to guide the pastry wheel. 
5. A stand mixer with a dough hook. You can knead by hand, but this dough is pretty stiff.

Working with this dough was really easy, and these were pretty fun to bake. You might have one end of a cracker come out a bit more golden than the other end, but, as long as you rolled these crackers out as thin as specified, they will be uniformly crisp.

If you like making food gifts for Christmas, Ellen of Family Around the Table put together this event for sharing recipes and ideas for holiday food gifts. After the recipe, be sure to check out the links for Holiday Food Gifts, such as Mason jar mixes, sauces, spice mixes, candies, quick breads, munchies, herb oils, and other food gifts for teachers, neighbors, and hostesses.

INGREDIENTS:

• 10 ounces (2 1/4 cups) tipo "00" flour, or unbleached all purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1 1/2 tablespoons finely minced fresh rosemary
• 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoons fine sea salt (taste your dough for flavor)
• 1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup water
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for the pans
• 6 tablespoons packed freshly grated Parmesan cheese (not the kind in the green can)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the flour, rosemary, salt, and sugar. Add the water, and mix with the dough hook with low speed until the ingredients come together. Adjust the flour and water to create a stiff but cohesive dough. Increase to medium speed and mix for 5 minutes.
2. Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes to let the gluten relax.
3. With a rack in the center, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F, or 350 degrees F with the convection turned on. Rub two baking sheets with a tablespoon of olive oil each. You can use a pastry brush, but I just use my hands.
4. Divide the dough in half. Rewrap one half of the dough and set aside. Lightly flour a work surface, and flour the top of the dough. With a rolling pin, roll the dough out to into an 8 inch by 24 inch rectangle. The dough should be very thin. Rub a tablespoon of olive oil over the dough, and then sprinkle with half of the Parmesan cheese.
5. Using the ruler as a guide, cut the dough with the fluted pastry cutter crosswise into 8 inch strips. Add them to one of the baking sheets. Repeat with the rest of the dough on the second baking sheet.
6. Bake the crackers, one sheet at a time, until golden and crispy, but not over baked, about 10 minutes, depending on your oven. If some of the crackers are ready sooner than the others, transfer them individually to a wire rack. When the crackers are ready, transfer to a wire rack. Repeat with the rest of the crackers. Let cool completely.
7. To store, layer the crackers between sheets of wax paper in an air tight container, for up to one month.

www.karenskitchenstories.com