Parmesan and Thyme Crackers

I decided to try out a very simple cracker recipe a few weeks ago to use some leftover Parmesan cheese.

The recipe calls for grated cheese, but I only had shredded on hand. It led to a significant textural difference, but I still think they turned out deliciously! I also used dried herbs rather than fresh. I would venture to guess that the thyme flavor would be much stronger with freshly chopped herbs as the recipe suggests.

All mixed together:

I shaped the roll by patting it out into a log on wax paper, and then using both sides of the paper to press the dough into shape. Wax paper is incredibly handy for rolling in these sorts of situations - it doesn't stick to anything, and you can much more easily manipulate the dough.

After a brief spell in the freezer, I cut slices from the roll. If you want perfectly round crackers, the roll should be placed into a tube while being chilled - something like a cardboard paper towel tube could work, but make sure the roll of dough can fit inside! I wasn't particularly concerned with the shape of my crackers, so they're quite flattened on one side... still tasted great!

Baked :)

These crackers are fantastic and cheesy when warm - yum! As with most homemade crackers, they'll get crispier after they cool. For more crisp, cut your slices thinner than mine before baking. Alternatively, bake them for a slightly longer time at a lower temperature if they're thick. Mine had an almost shortbread-like texture, which I quite like.

Parmesan and Thyme Crackers from Ina Garten

Ingredients:

1/4 lb. (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

3 oz. grated Parmesan cheese

1 1/4 cups flour

1/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. chopped thyme leaves

1/2 tsp. black pepper

Directions:

1. Beat butter until creamy. Add Parmesan, flour, salt, thyme, pepper, and combine. 

2. Dump dough on a lightly floured surface and roll into a log. Wrap the log in plastic wrap and place in the freezer for 30 minutes to harden.

3. Preheat the oven to 350F. 

4. Cut the log into 1/4-1/2 inch thick slices. Place the slices on a sheet pan and bake for 22 minutes. 

Enjoy!