LAVASH CRACKERS - THE DARING BAKERS

A year has passed since I joined "The Daring Bakers" and I really have to pinch myself to believe that it's true and that it's not just merely a dream. It's incredible how fast time tends to pass when you enjoy something!

Once again, the recipe which was proposed this month had everything to please me. It was savory, bread/yeast-oriented and versatile. September's challenge left us with much freedom and was also very easy to accomplish. Awesomely pleasant and not stressful at all. What more could you ask for, heh?...

Peter Reinhart's crackly "Lavash Crackers" are the absolute starter food and can be served at any occasion. They are not tricky to prepare nor do they keep you in the kitchen for hours. Those little nibblies can be seasoned with a wide array of sprinkles or pastes (seeds, herbs, spices, spice mixes, etc...) and are the perfect accompaniment to any kind of dips, relishes, chutneys, salsas, sauces, terrines, pates, hors d'oeuvres or cheeses.

Those dry biscuits are wonderfully crispy, toasty, highly satisfying, delightfully bready- as well as nutty-tasting, colorful and flavorful. A great and healthy way to start an evening of feasting without busting the calorie count, but without losing the sense of pleasure!

I really want to thank Shellyfish at "Musings From The Fishbowl" (France) - make sure to ckeck her wonderful site - for having chosen that gorgeous recipe and for introducing us to the world of vegan food and alternative eating!

~ Lavash Crackers ~
Recipe by Peter Reinhart "The Bread Baker's Apprentice".

Makes 1 sheet pan of crackers.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 Cups (6.75 oz/202.5g) Unbleached bread flour
1/2 Tsp Salt
1/2 Tsp Instant/dried yeast
1 Tbs Sugar
1 Tbs Vegetable oil
1/3 to 1/2 Cup + 2 Tbs (90g/ml to 120g/ml) Water, at room temperature
The toppings of your choice (I used za'atar)

Method:
1. In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, salt yeast, sugar, oil, and just enough water to bring everything together into a ball.
2. Sprinkle some flour on the counter and transfer the dough to the counter. Knead for about 10 minutes, or until the ingredients are evenly distributed.
3. Lightly oil a bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl, rolling it around to coat it with oil.
4. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and ferment at room temperature for 90 minutes, or until the dough doubles in size.
5. Mist the counter lightly with spray oil and transfer the dough to the counter. Press the dough into a square with your hand and dust the top of the dough lightly with flour.
6. Roll it out with a rolling pin into a paper thin sheet about 38cm by 31cm (15 inches by 12 inches).
7. When it is the desired thinness, let the dough relax for 5 minutes.
8. Line a sheet pan with baking parchment.
9. Carefully lift the sheet of dough and lay it on the parchment. If it overlaps the edge of the pan, snip off the excess with scissors.

Remarks:
You may not need the full 1/2 cup + 2 Tb of water, but be prepared to use it all if needed.
The dough should pass the windowpane test (see this link for a discription of this) and register 25° to 27° C (77°to 81° F).
The dough should be firmer than French bread dough, but not quite as firm as bagel dough (what I call medium-firm dough), satiny to the touch, not tacky, and supple enough to stretch when pulled.
You can also retard the dough overnight in the refrigerator immediately after kneading or mixing.
While rolling the dough, you may have to stop from time to time so that the gluten can relax. At these times, lift the dough from the counter and wave it a little, and then lay it back down. Cover it with a towel or plastic wrap while it relaxes.

Serving suggestions:
Serve with the dip(s), cheese(s), pate(s), spread(s) or toppings of your choice (tomatoes, onions, fish, dried meat, etc...).

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~ Roasted Bell Pepper & Refried Bean Dip ~
Recipe by Rosa @ Rosa's Yummy Yums 2008.

Yields 1 bowl.

Ingredients:
2 Bell peppers, oven roasted (at the highest temperature) until well-roasted/burnt, then peeled
5 Tbs Refried beans (vegan/see my recipe)
2 Cloves garlic
1 Tbs Mushroom-flavored soy
1 Tbs Olive oil
1 Tsp Red Tabasco sauce
1 Tsp Ketchup
1/2 Tsp vinegar
1/2 Tsp Pimentòn or Hungarian smoked paprika)
1/2 Tsp Ground cumin
1/2 Tsp Onion powder
1/2 Tsp Dried oregano
1/2 Tsp Sea salt
Ground black pepper, to taste

Method:
1. Put all the ingredients in a mixer and blend until it ressembles a homogenous puree.

Etant donné la longueur du texte original, je n'ai malheureusement pas pu faire une traduction française de ce billet et je m'en excuse auprès de tous mes amis lecteurs et blogueurs francophones!

C'est pourquoi je vous suggère de vous rendre sur les blogs mentionnés ci-dessous. Vous y trouverez cette recette en version française.

Chez Anne de "A Foody Froggy In Paris" (France).
Chez Isa de "Les gourmandises d'Isa" (Canada).
Chez Vibi de "La Casserole Carrée" (Canada).