A Delicious Pumpkin Seed and Fennel Crackers Recipe You Really Should Try

Marlene & Fernando Divina, divinAmerica

Makes about 5 dozen crackers (1½-inch square)

These crisp, toasty crackers have deep, resonant flavor from fennel and the nuttiness and protein of pumpkin seeds, making them as nourishing as they are satisfying. Trimmings can be re-rolled for a few bonus crackers.

Total time: about 45 minutes (20 minutes active prep; 10 minutes baking per batch; plus cooling)

Equipment

• Measuring cups and spoons

• Small spice grinder, food mill, or blender

• Medium mixing bowl

• Pastry cutter, fork

• Plastic wrap or reusable wrap

• Rolling pin

• Fork or docking tool

• Chef’s knife, pizza wheel, or bread knife (for cutting crackers)

• Flat spatula, bench scraper, or offset spatula (for transferring crackers)

• 1 or 2 rimmed baking sheets

• Cooling rack

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons fennel seeds

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour

• ¾ cup pumpkin seed meal (from about 1½ cups hulled pumpkin seeds)

• 1½ teaspoons kosher salt, plus large-flake or coarse salt for topping (optional)

• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 1 teaspoon onion powder

• 4 ounces (½ cup) unsalted butter, cold or solid

• 3 to 4 ounces tepid water (about ¼ cup), as needed

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line baking sheets with parchment

2. Grind the fennel seeds in a spice grinder, food mill, or blender until a coarse meal forms; a few larger pieces are fine. Transfer to a medium mixing bowl.

3. Add the flour, 1½ teaspoons salt, pepper, and onion powder to the bowl and stir to combine thoroughly.

4. Slice the cold butter into about 8 pieces and add to the dry ingredients. Using a pastry cutter, fork, or your fingers, work the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles a coarse meal with some pea-size pieces of butter remaining. Avoid overworking.

5. Add about two-thirds of the water and gently work it into the mixture, adding just enough additional water to form a pliant, workable ball of dough that is not tacky and does not stick to the work surface. The exact amount of water will vary with the flour and the pumpkin seeds.

6. Wrap the dough tightly and chill for at least 15 minutes to relax the gluten and firm the butter slightly, or refrigerate for up to 2 days. If refrigerated longer, let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes before rolling.

7. To shape, divide the dough into 6 pieces. Shape each piece into a log about 3 to 4 inches long and 2 inches wide. On a lightly floured surface, roll each log into a long rectangle, as thin as possible; aim for about ⅛ inch thick.

8. Using a fork, dock the dough all over, spacing the holes about 1 inch apart. This helps prevent bubbling and keeps the crackers flat. Lightly sprinkle the surface with flake or coarse salt, if using, and gently press it into the dough so it adheres.

9. Cut the dough into 1½-inch squares or other desired shapes using a knife or pizza wheel. Using a flat spatula or bench scraper, transfer the crackers to the baking sheets in a single layer. Gather any trimmings, press them together, chill briefly if soft, then re-roll and cut more crackers.

10.  Bake for 5 minutes, then rotate the pan. Continue baking for 3 to 5 minutes more, until the crackers are golden to light brown at the edges and dry in the center, 8 to 10 minutes total, depending on thickness and your oven. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.

11.  Cooled crackers can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 to 2 days. To refresh, warm them in a 300°F oven for a few minutes just before serving; avoid covering hot crackers in a cloth-lined basket, which will trap steam and soften them.