Description
These Homemade Crackers are thin, crispy, and infused with the savory flavors of pecorino Romano cheese and black pepper. Perfect as a snack or paired with cheese and dips, they are baked quickly in a very hot oven to achieve a golden, crunchy texture.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1¾ cup (220 grams) plain all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1½ ounces (45 grams) finely grated pecorino Romano cheese
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Wet Ingredients
- ½ cup (120 mL) water
- ⅓ cup (80 mL) extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for brushing
- Flaky salt, for sprinkling
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 450ºF (230ºC) and place two baking sheets inside to heat up thoroughly. This high temperature will help the crackers to cook quickly and become crisp.
- Mix the dry ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, finely grated pecorino Romano cheese, and black pepper. Stir these together evenly to distribute the seasonings.
- Add wet ingredients and form dough: Pour in the water and ⅓ cup of extra virgin olive oil. Mix everything with a wooden spoon until the dough begins to come together into a ball.
- Knead the dough: Transfer the dough to a clean work surface and knead gently for about a minute until the dough is smooth and cohesive, being careful not to overwork it.
- Divide the dough: Cut the dough into three equal portions to make rolling and baking manageable.
- Roll out the dough: Take one portion and roll it out on non-stick baking paper, dusting the surface lightly with flour if needed to prevent sticking. Roll the dough very thinly, aiming for a 12-inch (30 cm) round or an oblong shape roughly 10×14 inches (25×35 cm). Thinness is crucial to ensure that they bake crisp and quickly.
- Prepare for baking: Lightly brush the dough with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with flaky salt to enhance flavor and texture during baking.
- Bake the crackers: Carefully lift the baking paper with the rolled dough and place it onto one of the preheated baking sheets in the oven. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the crackers are golden brown and crisp.
- Repeat baking with remaining dough: While the first batch is baking, roll out the second and third portions of dough on baking paper and prepare them as before. Bake each batch accordingly.
- Cool and serve: Allow the crackers to cool completely on a wire rack before breaking into smaller pieces. Serve with cheese, dips, or enjoy as a crunchy snack on their own.
Notes
- Ensure the dough is rolled out very thinly to achieve the best crispiness.
- Use hot baking sheets to help the crackers bake evenly and get a nice browning.
- These crackers store well in an airtight container for up to one week.
- For a different flavor profile, you can experiment with other finely grated hard cheeses.
- If dough is sticky while rolling, lightly flour the work surface and rolling pin.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes (10-12 minutes per batch, 3 batches total)
- Category: Snack
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-inspired
Keywords: homemade crackers, crispy crackers, baked crackers, pecorino crackers, savory snack, easy cracker recipe
