Sesame Rye Crackers

For the first time in about 14 years I neglected to get my flu shot last fall. I kept meaning to get around to it, and then I simply forgot. Well, I managed to catch the flu with a vengeance and that has kept me in bed for the better part of this month. I'm mostly recovered, but I haven't regained my sense of taste. Everything seems kind of bland at the moment and I don't feel much like cooking.

These crackers are fairly straightforward to make and by making them at home you know exactly what's in them. Feel free to experiment with different flours or seeds. Add some grated cheese! The possibilities are endless.

This recipe is enough for about one large cookie sheet worth of crackers. You can easily double this recipe for more.

1/2 cup dark rye flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup sesame seeds, lightly toasted
2 tbsp ground flax seed (optional)
1/4 teaspoon salt, or more to taste

1/3 cup water, at room temperature
1 egg , yolk and white separated

Preheat the oven to 300°F.

In a  mixing bowl, combine the flours, all but two tablespoons sesame seeds and salt. Make a well in the middle and set aside.

Whisk together the egg yolk and water and pour this mixture into the well. Stir the mixture until you get a stiff tacky dough. You might have to add a few teaspoons of water if the mixture doesn't all come together.

Knead a few times, then divide the dough in half.

Roll out half of the dough on a lightly floured surface between 1/8 and 1/12th of an inch thick. Sprinkle with small amounts of flour as needed to prevent the thin sheet of dough from sticking. 

Whisk about a tablespoon of water into the egg white and brush some of this over the top of the dough. Sprinkle with one tablespoon of the reserved sesame seeds. Sprinkle with additional salt, if desired.

Using a pizza or pastry cutter, cut the dough into small squares or diamonds. You can cut out circles if you wish, however you will have to deal with the scraps afterwards.

Place the crackers onto a parchment or silicone lined baking sheet in a single layer. They can be placed quite close together as they will not expand or rise.

Repeat with the second half of the cracker dough.

Bake the crackers for about 20-30 minutes, or until they have browned lightly and are fairly dry and crispy. Turn off the oven and open the door a bit. Leave the crackers inside until the oven has cooled completely.

Once thoroughly cooled, the crackers can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for about 8 days, or in a ziplock bag in the freezer indefinitely.