Seedy Olive Oil Crackers
Recipe by Marnie Nitschke, Accredited Practicing Dietitian at Fork That Nutrition & Cockatoo Grove Ambassador.
What a beautiful way to be thrifty AND healthy! Seeded crackers are delicious served with dips, cheese and jam, patè or pesto. And the simple ingredient list here is easy to find at your local supermarket or market.
Of course you can change up the seed mix and ratio depending on what you do or don’t have in your pantry - and to suit your flavour preference. You might like to add herbs like rosemary or spices like sumac or chilli. Whatever you use, please ensure your seeds are reasonably fresh (seeds that have been sitting at the back of your cupboard for 5 years are not at their best).
These one-bowl babies don’t take long to make, and there’s minimal clean up. They will fill your kitchen with amazing aromas, and elevate your cheese board with their rustic, home-made charm.
On the nutrition front, the variety of seeds here provide a swathe of health benefits, from their high fibre content through to the good fats, fat soluble vitamins and antioxidants they contain. And of course they’re a whole lot more affordable than fancy crackers from the store!
Serves: This all depends on how thin you roll it, how many you nibble while you taste test, how big or small you break them up. But it should make enough to cover three medium oven trays.
INGREDIENTS:
1/3 cup sesame seeds
1/3 cup pepitas
1/3 cup linseeds
3 tbsp chia seeds
1-2 tbsp fennel seed
3/4 – 1 cup white flour
2 tbsp nutritional yeast flakes
1 to 2 tsp garlic powder or onion powder
1 tsp cooking salt
1/4 cup Cockatoo Grove Extra Virgin Olive Oil - any flavour will be equally delicious
1/3 cup warm water
METHOD:
Preheat oven to 190 C and get 3 oven trays ready (unless you want to do it in 3 separate batches, which is also okay).
Add all dry ingredients to a medium mixing bowl and mix to combine.
Add water and olive oil and mix to bring the mixture together to into a clumpy ball (start with ¾ cup flour but add more as needed until the dough isn’t too sticky to handle).
Now break the dough up into about 3 pieces and roll each of them into a smooth ball or egg shape.
On a flat surface, lay out a silicone cooking mat or large sheet of baking paper, and place the ball of dough in the centre.
Now place another piece of baking paper over the top, and use a rolling pin to slowly squash, roll and flatten the dough. Try to get it as thin and even as you can because we want it to cook nice and crispy (each ball should roll out enough to fit a medium oven tray). Repeat this process with the two remaining balls of dough. Peel off the top layer of baking paper and transfer carefully to your oven trays.
Place into the oven and cook for 15 minutes, then take it out and have a look. You want a nice even golden colour with some browning around the edges. At this stage, if not ready, I brush the dough with some extra olive oil, and usually pop it back in for another 5-10 minutes. Because all ovens are different and the top always cooks hotter, you’ll just have to keep an eye on yours!
Once cooked, remove from the oven and either immediately cut into pieces with a pizza cutter or large knife, or wait until cooled, then break up into rustic shards with your hands.
Store in an airtight container for up to a week.
