Homemade Crackers

I tried this recipe yesterday and it was very good. I got it from a magazine. I didn't care for all the "stuff" in saltine crackers so decided to try and make them for myself. This recipe is from an organic restaurant in Boulder, Utah. I will post their recipe, then how I did it, and then how I will make it the next time. :-)

Black Pepper Crackers - makes 60 1-by-2 inch crackers

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
2/3 cup milk

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Combine flour, sugar, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. With pastry cutter, cut cold butter into the flour mixture. Pour milk over dry mixture, and toss with a fork to combine.

2. On floured board, knead and press dough into a ball; cut in half. Let dough rest 5 minutes. Press each half into a square, and then roll out evenly into a large, 1/8-inch-thick rectangle. Cut into desired cracker shape (circles, squares, clovers, hearts, diamonds) and place on a baking sheet. Pierce with a fork and bake for 8 minutes; rotate pan and bake another 5 to 8 minutes, or until edges are golden brown and crackers are crisp.

The only thing I did different the first time is I used bread flour instead of all-purpose and I did used skim milk. Next time I will use whole-wheat pastry flour and olive oil in place of butter. I might also add some seeds. I have a conversion chart which I will list below to use evoo in place of butter and everything I have made so far has been perfect with the olive oil.

Butter to Olive Oil conversion. I use Extra-Virgin.

If recipe calls for:

1 tsp butter use 3/4 tsp evoo
1 TBL butter use 2 1/4 tsp evoo
2 TBL butter use 1 1/2 TBL evoo
1/4 cup butter use 3 TBL evoo
1/3 cup butter use 1/4 cup evoo
1/2 cup butter use 1/4 cup plus 2 TBL evoo
2/3 cup butter use 1/2 cup evoo
3/4 cup butter use 1/2 cup plus 1 TBL evoo
1 cup butter use 3/4 cup evoo

I got this conversion from an organic magazine.