Olive Oil Crackers

Adapted from 101 Cookbooks

1 1/2 cups semolina flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 heaped teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup warm water
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
special optional equipment: pasta machine

1. Whisk together the flours and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer, or in a large bowl. Add the water and olive oil. If using a mixer, mix with the dough hook attachment at medium speed for about 5 to 7 minutes. If mixing by hand, blend dough together, then turn out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth. The dough should be just a bit tacky - not too dry, not too sticky to work with. If you need to add a bit more water (or flour), then do so.

2. On a lightly floured surface, shape the dough into a large ball. Cut into twelve equal-sized pieces, and round into a small ball. Gently rub each piece with a bit of olive oil, cover with a clean dishtowel or plastic wrap, and let rest at room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes.

3. While the dough is resting, preheat your oven to 450º F. If you have a baking stone, heat it up with the oven.

4. When the dough is done resting, flatten one dough ball. Using a rolling pin or a pasta machine, shape into a flat strip of dough. Before rolling out to the thinnest thickness, sprinkle on any desired toppings, and roll into the dough. Pull the dough out a bit thinner by hand if you like, in the way you might stretch pizza dough. Gently lift dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, and dock each cracker with the tines of a fork to prevent puffing.

5. Slide into the oven onto the baking stone, if you have one. If not, just put the baking sheet into the oven. Repeat the process for the remaining dough balls, baking in small batches of three or four pieces of dough at a time. Bake until deeply golden, and let cool before eating.



Notes:
1. I was able to roll my dough out at the #5 setting on a (borrowed) pasta machine (out of 6 settings), which resulted in a nice and wonderfully thin cracker. However, out of fear of rolling too thin, I rolled most of them out at the #4 setting. Both worked just as well as the other.

2. Feel free to let loose with toppings on these: any spice, any spice blend, flavored salts, flavored oils, grated cheese, cornmeal, seeds, and on and on.

3. You can leave the crackers in big sheets and let your guests break bits off, or you can break them apart into rustic and variable pieces yourself. Conversely, you can also cut them into neat and orderly (or not!) pieces with a pizza wheel before baking.