Hardtrack Crackers
Ingredients:
8 cups all purpose flour
4 teaspoons salt
2 cup warm water
Makes 20 crackers
Clean off a spot on your counter top. Check to see that your rack is in the middle of the oven. Turn the oven on to Bake at 450 degrees. Lightly grease a cookie sheet by wiping it with a little dab of Crisco on a paper towel (unnecessary if you have a Teflon sheet).
Mix the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add most of the water and stir with a fork until well mixed. You should have a homogenous mass that looks like pie or pizza dough. If it's too dry add a little more of the water... if you put in too much water at first, sprinkle in a little more flour (this is where experience comes in handy).
Sprinkle flour on the counter top and on your hands. Dump the dough out on the surface and knead well, 5-10 minutes, until you have a ball of smooth, somewhat elastic dough. During the kneading process, you may need to add more water if the dough is dry and flour-ey. If it sticks to everything and seems too slimy, add a little more flour. Keep working it until it smooths out.
Flatten the ball out with your hands and roll it with a floured rolling pin. If you're handy with the pin, the resulting mass on your counter top will be roughly square and 1/2 inch thick. If you are lucky enough to have a Cracker-Cutter, have at it. Otherwise, use a sharp knife to cut the dough into 3' by 3' squares. Spread the squares out evenly on the cookie sheet. Use a toothpick to poke sixteen holes (four rows of four) in each cracker (per John Billings, Hardtack and Coffee).
Bake 20-25 minutes. Dry for 48 hours before storing.
8 cups all purpose flour
4 teaspoons salt
2 cup warm water
Makes 20 crackers
Clean off a spot on your counter top. Check to see that your rack is in the middle of the oven. Turn the oven on to Bake at 450 degrees. Lightly grease a cookie sheet by wiping it with a little dab of Crisco on a paper towel (unnecessary if you have a Teflon sheet).
Mix the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add most of the water and stir with a fork until well mixed. You should have a homogenous mass that looks like pie or pizza dough. If it's too dry add a little more of the water... if you put in too much water at first, sprinkle in a little more flour (this is where experience comes in handy).
Sprinkle flour on the counter top and on your hands. Dump the dough out on the surface and knead well, 5-10 minutes, until you have a ball of smooth, somewhat elastic dough. During the kneading process, you may need to add more water if the dough is dry and flour-ey. If it sticks to everything and seems too slimy, add a little more flour. Keep working it until it smooths out.
Flatten the ball out with your hands and roll it with a floured rolling pin. If you're handy with the pin, the resulting mass on your counter top will be roughly square and 1/2 inch thick. If you are lucky enough to have a Cracker-Cutter, have at it. Otherwise, use a sharp knife to cut the dough into 3' by 3' squares. Spread the squares out evenly on the cookie sheet. Use a toothpick to poke sixteen holes (four rows of four) in each cracker (per John Billings, Hardtack and Coffee).
Bake 20-25 minutes. Dry for 48 hours before storing.