snap cracker pop

A couple of weeks ago, on a whim (now really, does that surprise you?), I made crackers. Just your basic, run-of-the-mill, flour and water and salt crackers.

Let me tell you something....they were a smash hit. Probably one of the easiest recipes I've ever thrown together, it resulted in snappy, salty snacks that were tons better than their store-bought counterparts. And that's not all: at the cost of, oh, fifty cents, I made a batch of fresh crackers that would have cost (for organic and sea-salted, which is what I made at home) upwards of $2 or even $3.

This simple money-saving recipe is totally worth the 15 minutes. I can't wait to branch out into whole wheat, parmesan, cracked pepper... the possibilities are endless.

Where did this idea stem from? You guessed it... How to Cook Everything--thank you Mark Bittman. Here's a short adaptation of the recipe, but I recommend just going out and purchasing your own copy of this magnificent book. With all the publicity I'm shelling out, I ought to be getting free copies in the mail on a daily basis. ;)

Crackers, adapted from How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman

Makes 4 servings, takes about 15 minutes

1 C all purpose flour, plus more as needed
1/2 tsp salt
2 tablespoons butter or neutral oil
1/4 cup water, plus more as needed

Heat the oven to 400. Lightly dust 2 baking sheets with flour or put a baking stone in the oven. Put the flour, salt, and butter/oil in the food processor. Pulse until the flour and butter are combined. Add the water; continue to add water a teaspoon at a time until the mixture holds together but is not sticky.

Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface until 1/4" or thinner (I rolled mine almost paper-thin), adding flour as needed. Score lightly with a sharp knife if you want to break the crackers into nice squares or rectangles later on.

Use a spatula, pastry blade, or peel to transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheets or stone. Sprinkle with sea salt or cracked pepper if desired. Bake until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Cool on a rack; serve warm or at room temp, or store in a tin for up to a couple of days. (But trust me, they won't last that long.)