Easy Sourdough Crackers From Discard

Easy to make, delicious sourdough crackers for cheese.

When you've got too much starter, and don't want to waste it, this is a delicious way to NOT discard it - plus the crackers will keep a while in an airtight container, and you could even gift them to cheese lovers!

It doesn't matter whether your starter is rye or wheat, both work well with either wholemeal or white flour added - but beware - they're rather more-ish!

Ingredients

For dough

• 100g sourdough starter (unfed, e.g. from fridge)
• 50g flour of choice
• 1/4 tsp salt (or to taste)
• 25g butter, melted
• Any extra dried herbs, seeds or spices you want to add
  

For topping

• Olive oil for brushing
• Maldon sea salt (or similar) for sprinkling

Method

1. Mix ingredients for dough together into a smooth dough.

2. To make life easier, shape into a rectangle before wrapping. Chill for half an hour (or more, it will be fine for a few hours).

3. When you're ready to go, preheat the oven to gas mark 4 / 180C / 350F.

4. Lightly dust a sheet of greaseproof baking paper the size of your baking tray, then roll the dough out as thin as you possibly dare - as in 1mm or less  - you can put the clingfilm you used to wrap it in on top to make it easier, or roll between two sheets of baking paper. Top with a pinch of lightly crushed sea salt and any seeds or spices you want to use - don't go mad on the salt as there's already salt in the dough!

5. Cut into rectangles (or squares!) - you can trim the sides first if you want to - cut three long strips, then cut these across into roughly 3cm strips, so you end up with around 21 pieces (or you could make 9-12 larger crackers, but score them more than twice each).

6. Using a fork, score each piece twice (or every couple of cm, depending on how big you make them) to stop them puffing up, and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until lightly browned (if your oven cooks unevenly, like mine, then turn the tray around just over half way!). 

7. Leave to cool on the tray for a couple of minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. Once completely cool, transfer to an airtight container and enjoy over the next week or so (if they last that long!).