Crackers & Dips by Ivy Manning

Author:Ivy Manning
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Chronicle Books LLC
Published: 2013-12-17T16:00:00+00:00

AMARANTH CRACKERS

WITH CHEDDAR AND PEPITAS

I was first introduced to amaranth flour through friend and fellow Portland baker Kim Boyce. In her excellent book Good to the Grain, Kim uses amaranth flour to add a rich flavor to her hazelnut cookies; one bite and I was instantly in love with this gluten-free flour.

Here, I pair amaranth flour with the bold Southwestern flavors of chili powder, cumin, and garlic and top the crispy crackers with Cheddar and hulled pumpkin seeds (pepitas). Try them dunked in bold dips like the Tangy Roasted Tomatillo and Avocado Dip (page 110) or the Sconnie Beer and Cheese Fondue (page 120).

MAKES 35 CRACKERS

1 cup/105 g amaranth flour

½ cup/65 g cornstarch, plus 2 tsp for rolling

1 tsp baking powder

2 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp chili powder

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp fine sea salt

½ tsp garlic powder

¼ cup/60 ml water

3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

¼ cup/30 g pumpkin seeds (pepitas)

½ cup/50 g grated tightly packed Cheddar cheese

Preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C/gas 5. Line two baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk together the amaranth flour, cornstarch, baking powder, sugar, chili powder, cumin, salt, and garlic powder. In a small bowl, whisk together the water and olive oil. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a crumbly dough, about 10 strokes. Knead and squeeze the dough in the bowl until it comes together into a smooth ball. (If the dough seems a bit crumbly and dry, add a sprinkle of water to bring the dough together.)

Dust a piece of parchment paper with 1 tsp of the remaining cornstarch. Place the dough on the paper and pat it into a rectangle measuring 4 by 6 in/10 by 15 cm. Dust the dough with the remaining 1 tsp cornstarch. Cover the dough with a piece of plastic wrap and roll out the dough until it is in/2 mm thick.

Remove the plastic wrap on top, trim the edges of the dough, and cut the dough into rectangles measuring 2½ by 1½ in/6 by 4 cm. (Save and re-roll the scraps.) Using a bench scraper or spatula, transfer the crackers to the prepared baking sheets, spacing them closely together. Sprinkle the pumpkin seeds and cheese over the crackers, pressing firmly to adhere the seeds and cheese to the dough.

Bake until the crackers are browned at the edges and crisp to the touch (underdone crackers will be quite pliable when you try to bend one), 14 to 15 minutes, rotating the baking sheets once from top to bottom and from front to back while cooking. When the crackers are completely cool, transfer them to an airtight container for up to 5 days.

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