Sourdough crackers from starter discard

We’re all experiencing an abundant amount of time at home right now. I’ve watched with curiosity on social media as friends and family try new recipes or ask for tips and advice on what dishes can be made with random ingredients tucked away in the dark recesses of their cupboards. It’s been amusing at times and also inspiring to witness what has been created. Chances are you have a bit of spare time on your hands and are looking for a new recipe that uses minimal ingredients, I urge you to give these crackers a try.

I dove into the world of sourdough bread several years ago only to take many hiatuses after varying levels of success. Sourdough is not for the faint of heart but I do encourage anyone interested to pursue it as the rewards are so worthwhile. My Instagram feed has been full of first-time sourdough bakers as of late, and I’ve had a handful of people reach out recently with questions about the process of creating and maintaining a starter. I’m not an expert as I continue to learn daily but I’m always happy to help share what knowledge I’ve gained through trial and error along the way. Let’s be honest, learning how to work with sourdough can be frustrating and confusing! However, if you are the type of person who enjoys a challenge and loves a fresh loaf of sourdough bread with soup, stick with it. I promise it will be worth the effort. I plan to share a series of posts on sourdough starters and bread baking in the near future but for those who have already jumped in feet first, this is for you.

If you tend to be overly critical of your baking ability and a perfectionist like I am, you may find starter discard recipes more your speed. They are often easy, insanely delicious (can you say cookies, cinnamon rolls, and pancakes?!) while relatively fuss-free. In the beginning days of working with your new sourdough, you have an excess of starter that you either throw out to maintain it properly or you bake with it, so this is a great way to use the extra you collect daily.

One of my favorite ways to use excess starter is to bake these sourdough crackers. If I had known that they were so effortless to make I would have tried my hand at it years ago. This simple recipe from King Arthur Flour is easily adaptable and I’ve found that mixing and matching seasonings is great fun. Use herbs that happen to be in your pantry right now; even the basics such as parsley, cracked pepper, and sea salt mixed together make a delightful snack. The combinations you use are only limited to your imagination and what you have on hand.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (113g) King Arthur White Whole Wheat Flour
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 cup (248g) sourdough starter, unfed/discard
• 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons, 57g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 tablespoons dried herbs of your choice, optional
• oil, for brushing
• coarse salt (such as kosher or sea salt) for sprinkling on top

Instructions:

1. Mix together the flour, salt, sourdough starter, butter, and optional herbs to make a smooth (not sticky), cohesive dough.
2. Divide the dough in half, and shape each half into a small rectangular slab. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes, or up to a couple of hours, until the dough is firm.
3. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
4. Very lightly flour a piece of parchment, your rolling pin, and the top of the dough.

Tips:

1. Working with one piece at a time, roll the dough to about 1/16″ thick. The dough will have ragged, uneven edges; that’s OK. Just try to make it as even as possible.
2. Transfer the dough and parchment together onto a baking sheet. Lightly brush with oil and then sprinkle the salt over the top of the crackers.
3. Cut the dough into 1 1/4″ squares; a rolling pizza wheel works well here.
4. Prick each square with the tines of a fork.
5. Bake the crackers for 20 to 25 minutes, until the squares are starting to brown around the edges. Midway through, reverse the baking sheets: both top to bottom, and front to back; this will help the crackers brown evenly.
6. When fully browned, remove the crackers from the oven, and transfer them to a cooling rack. Store airtight at room temperature for up to a week; freeze for longer storage.

My personal adaptations and tips for this recipe:

• Flour is difficult to source right now. If you are low on wheat flour try substituting rye or spelt which may be easier to locate.
• I found cutting squares with the rolling pizza wheel tedious. Instead, I chose to use a round cookie cutter and noted that making smaller sized circles resulted in a more evenly cooked and textured cracker.