This is another great recipe to use up your sourdough starter. You can customize it whatever herbs you like!
LOOK! Another sourdough starter recipe! That means that my starter is still alive! Addie and I decided to name it so that I would get emotionally attached to it and take care of it. She decided that the starter looked like a boy, so we named it Pumbaa. Yes, it is after the hilarious warthog from Disney’s The Lion King, and it’s because Pumbaa is very gassy. Just like my sourdough starter.
So, I am learning how to take care of my Pumbaa. I was hoping to try my hand at sourdough bread, but when I put a little bit of it into a glass of water, the starter immediately sank to the bottom. My internet research told me that the little bit of starter needs to float before it’s ready to use in bread recipes. Because Pumbaa isn’t game-time ready yet, I tried something else – these sourdough crackers.
The generous coworker who gifted me her starter told me about these crackers. I customized mine with Italian herbs and brushed the tops with an Italian herbed basting oil. Don’t be afraid to put on a thick layer of oil – my crackers didn’t actually have that much herbal flavor and could have used more.
Regardless, the crackers turned out well. They were crispy, crunchy and HOMEMADE! I’ve never made crackers before so this is a big accomplishment for me. I can’t wait to keep feeding my Pumbaa so that he’s ready for a loaf of bread. Stay tuned to see if – and when – that happens.
Husband’s rating: 4 out of 5
Addie’s rating: 4 out of 5
My rating: 3 out of 5 (I felt like my crackers needed more salt)
Sourdough crackers
Ingredients
- 1 cup (113 grams) white whole wheat flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (227 grams) sourdough starter unfed/discard
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
- 2 Tablespoons dried herbs of your choice I used an Italian blend
- oil for brushing I used an Italian basting oil
- flaky sea salt
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the flour, salt, sourdough starter, butter and herbs on medium speed until everything comes together.
- Divide the dough in half.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Flatten each half of dough into a rough rectangle on top of the parchment paper/silicone mat. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Line another baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Lightly dust the top with some flour and lightly dust the top of one of the rectangular pieces of dough. Roll it onto the parchment paper so it is about ⅛" thick.
- Brush with oil and sprinkle sea salt on top. Using a pizza roller or a sharp knife, cut the dough into squares about 1 and ¼ inches wide. Poke holes in the tops of each cracker with a fork. Repeat with the other half of dough.
- Bake in your preheated oven for 10 minutes. Then rotate the pans, top to bottom and front to back and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes or until the crackers start to brown on the edges.
- Allow the crackers to cool completely before transferring to an airtight container for storage.