Seaweed Cracker Recipe

As we dip our toes into March, our mind is on all things Ireland - that Emerald Isle with lush green rolling hills surrounded by beautiful waters. While the Island’s gorgeous environment has permitted a rich dairying tradition in both cheese and butter, we've also been drawn to working more with nutrient- and umami-rich seaweed. Incidentally, seaweed is a food tradition with deep roots in Irish culture. In our cheese classes, we talk a lot about food pairings and what makes a perfect bite. Since aged cheeses and seaweed are both loaded with naturally occurring savoriness, these crackers might just be the perfect mate to fine Irish cheese (like our favorite Coolea!)

Ingredients

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• ¼ cups rye flour
• ½ cup cold butter
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 ½ teaspoon salt
• ⅔ cups milk
• ¼ cup finely ground seaweed 
• ½ cup sesame seeds

Equipment

Pasta Machine
Spatula

Method

Preheat the oven to 350°. Prepare a parchment lined cookie sheet and set aside. 

Place the flours and butter into the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine until the mixture is sand like texture. Pulse in the sugar and salt. Transfer the mixture to the countertop and make a well in the center of the dough. Add the milk into the well and gently mix until the dough comes together. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and put it in the fridge to rest for 2 hours.

Lightly dust the counter top with flour. Divide the dough into 6 equal-sized pieces. Take one piece, and cover the remaining dough pieces with plastic wrap while you work.

Press lightly on the piece of dough. Sprinkle on seaweed and sesame seeds and press again. 

Put the dough through a pasta machine on the widest setting.

Lightly press in more seeds or seaweed and roll again. Continue until the second last setting on the machine.

Cut into approximate squares or rectangles, and place each cracker onto the baking tray, using a spatula to lift the delicate pieces.

Bake in the oven for approximately 10 minutes, until the crackers are light brown.

Cool on a wire tray and store in an airtight container.

Recipe adapted from Milk: The Story of Ireland's Culinary Treasure Explored Through Recipes, History and Culture by John & Sally McKenna