Lavash Crackers

Directions

1. 1
   In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, salt, yeast, honey, oil, and just enough water to bring everything together into a ball.
2. 2
   You may not need the full 1/2 cup water, but be prepared to use it all if needed.
3. 3
   Sprinkle some flour on the counter and transfer the dough to the counter.
4. 4
   Knead for about 10 minutes, or until the ingredients are evenly distributed.
5. 5
   The dough should pass the windowpane test (page 58)and register 77 to 81F.
6. 6
   The dough should be firmer than French bread dough, but not quite as firm as bagel dough (what I call a medium-firm dough), satiny to the touch, not tacky, and supple enough to stretch when pulled.
7. 7
   Lightly oil a bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl, rolling it around to coat it with oil.
8. 8
   Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.
9. 9
   Ferment at room temperature for 90 minutes, or until the dough doubles in size.
10. 10
    (You can also instead retard the dough overnight in the refrigerator immediately after kneading.)
11. 11
    Mist the counter lightly with spray oil and transfer the dough to the counter.
12. 12
    Press the dough into a square with your hand and dust the top of the dough lightly with flour.
13. 13
    Roll it out with a rolling pin into a paper-thin sheet about 15 inches by 12 inches.
14. 14
    You may have to stop from time to time so that the gluten can relax.
15. 15
    At these times, lift the dough from the counter and wave it a little, and then lay it back down.
16. 16
    Cover it with a towel or plastic wrap while it relaxes.
17. 17
    When it is the desired thinness, let the dough relax for 5 minutes.
18. 18
    Line a sheet pan with baking parchment.
19. 19
    Carefully lift the sheet of dough and lay it on the parchment.
20. 20
    If it overlaps the edge of the pan, snip off the excess with scissors.
21. 21
    Preheat the oven to 350F with the oven rack on the middle shelf.
22. 22
    Mist the top of the dough with water and sprinkle a covering of seeds or spices on the dough (such as alternating rows of poppy seeds, sesame seeds, paprika, cumin seeds, caraway seeds, kosher or pretzel salt, etc.).
23. 23
    Be careful with spices; a little goes a long way.
24. 24
    If you want precut crackers, use a pizza cutter (rolling blade) and cut diamonds or rectangles in the dough.
25. 25
    You do not need to separate the pieces, as they will snap apart after baking.
26. 26
    If you want to make shards, bake the sheet of dough without cutting it first.
27. 27
    Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the crackers begin to brown evenly across the top (the time will depend on how thinly and evenly you rolled the dough).
28. 28
    When the crackers are baked, remove the pan from the oven and let them cool in the pan for about 10 minutes.
29. 29
    You can then snap them apart or snap off shards and serve.
30. 30
    Enriched, stiff dough; flat; direct method; commercial yeast
31. 31
    10 to 15 minutes mixing; 2 hours fermentation, shaping, and panning; 15 to 20 minutes baking
32. 32
    This dough, almost as stiff as bagel dough, is easier to knead by hand than in a machine.
33. 33
    You can make a softer variation, used for making roll-up pinwheel sandwiches, by rolling the dough a little thicker than described and slightly underbaking the uncut sheet, so that the cracker is stiff but not crackly crisp.
34. 34
    When ready to make the roll-up, mist the cracker with water and it will magically soften within 3 to 5 minutes and be as workable as a flour tortilla.
35. 35
    This same dough makes a nice pita bread: Simply roll out 6-ounce pieces of the finished dough into 8-inch-diameter circles (slightly less than 1/4 inch thick), and bake them in a 500F oven on a baking stone or on a sheet pan.
36. 36
    Bake just until they inflate and form a pocket.
37. 37
    Count to 10, then remove the breads from the oven with a peel or a spatula before they brown and crisp.
38. 38
    When they cool (and slowly deflate), they can be cut in half and used for pocket sandwiches.
39. 39
    Lavash Crackers %
40. 40
    Bread flour: 100%
41. 41
    Salt: 1.9%
42. 42
    Instant yeast: .81%
43. 43
    Honey: 11.1%
44. 44
    Oil: 7.4%
45. 45
    Water (approx.
46. 46
    ): 51.9%
47. 47
    Total: 173.1%