DIPPY OR JUST PLAIN CRACKERS?

OK Daring Bakers, apparently I missed a deadline somewhere without realizing it! Being a public holiday here today, I left my challenge for today…so better late than never right???

Vegan? Gluten Free? Boring? NOOOOO I shout triumphantly…the challenge worked beautifully for me and I will most definitely be going crackers again…and again and again! (My kids happily acknowledged that they believe this post is a intervention and that I am merely confirming my cracker status that they have known about for years.)

So the cracker recipe is NOT gluten free, but the dip is. You can find further information about this challenge at all the amazing sites on the Daring Bakers Blogroll. There are some incredibly talented people out there, so please explore.

To quote Shellyfish, the host for this month’s challenge;

“The Challenge: Make Lavash Crackers and create a dip/spread/salsa/relish to accompany it. This challenge allows for large helpings of creativity and personality, with the crackers, your flavor choices for the crackers, and with your dip/spread choice. You can create your own dip/spread recipe, use one of your favorites, or use one of the recipes we’ve provided at the bottom of this post. Get crazy ! Just be sure to post the recipe along with your challenge crackers so we can see what you made and how you made it (so we can try it, too!).

The Rules: You have so much freedom! You can make the Lavash Crackers either with all purpose wheat flour or you can try making them gluten free. You may use any variety of spices/seeds/salt to top the crackers. All dips/spreads/relishes/salsas must be vegan and gluten free.”

We have just polished off most of the crackers and all of the dip…in record time and down a couple of kids, so a disclaimer here: Cracker baking may be addictive and is not for everybody! Caution should be used when attempting this at home!

CRACKERS
NEED:
1 teaspoon multi colored peppercorns
250 grmas unbleached bakers flour
1.5 teaspoons granulated yeast
20 grams raw sugar
25 grams lemon olive oil
110 grams warm water
nigella seeds, sea salt to taste

DO:
Quickly grind the pepper in the Thermomix bowl on speed 6 for around 15 seconds.
Set aside.
Place remaining ingredients into bowl, except for the seeds and salt.
Whiz on speed 7 for a few seconds until dough forms a ball (or almost)
With lid in closed lid position, knead for 2-3 minutes.
At this point add more water or flour as required. It should be a soft and pliable dough.
Preheat oven to 190 degrees Celcius.
Between 2 sheets of baking paper, roll out half the dough as thinly as possible.
The thinner and more even the better. If you pick the dough up and hold it against the light, you will see where the thicker parts of the dough are and re-roll accordingly.
Lay onto tray, (keep on baking paper), sprinkle with pepper, salt and seeds, then using the other sheet of baking paper, press the toppings into the dough slightly until they adhere.
Using a pizza cutter, score crackers.
Bake for 10-15 minutes or until brown evenly.
You can leave the crackers in the oven to dry out completely to increase the crunch factor.

I disagree with the recipe in the Challenge slightly, in that leaving the dough to rise increases it’s elasticity and makes it harder to stretch thinly…but you possibly get a lighter cracker that way. I did not allow my dough to rise at all, but proceeded on with the rolling immediately!

DIP
NEED:
1 whole garlic
1 red pepper (capsicum)
400 grams white beans (cannelini)
100 grams kalamata olives pitted
handful coriander
olive oil to taste
sea salt to taste

DO:
Wrap garlic in foil and roast in hot oven, along with capsicum.
When capsicum skin has blackened and blistered, place into paper bag until cool. Peel and de-seed when cold enough to touch.
Push garlic cloves out of skin and into TM bowl. (This should be an easy process.)
Add all other ingredients into Thermomix bowl and process on speed 8 for around 30 seconds. Add oil to emulsify or leave out and reduce processing time to have more of a salsa.
Serve with Lavash crackers or corn chips…ENJOY!

This may appear in a book I am working on at the moment, so stay tuned for where to get that Vegan/Vegetarian Tome! But you saw it here first…ta-dah!