Parmesan Thyme Crackers

 

As you read this I am likely enjoying some ocean views as well as the fine company of my Sweetas! We have headed west to visit Lucy so the posts you’ll be reading for the next few days were created last week. The magic of technology! Now if I could only learn how to download an app on my phone – that is no joke, my friends!

In planning for my departure and the life of my blog, I thought it would be really neat to highlight one of my very favorite cookbook authors…Ina Garten, better known as, The Barefoot Contessa. I gobble her stuff up – literally and figuratively…I love her show, I love her cookbooks, I love her recipes…I actually get butterflies when I know she has a new cookbook coming out, and when I have it, I read it cover to cover without coming up for air! I think she is that awesome!

Most of what I’ll share over the next few days will be Ina’s recipe to the letter, however, some I have adapted just a smidge…either way, it’s all Ina, all the time!

 

 

Who doesn’t love a good cracker? Ina hit it out of the park with this one! This cracker is savory and buttery and a little bit spicy. Like it says, it is a cracker, however, it has a quality that says shortbread to me. It reminds me of a shortbread in its texture, girth and richness, but it contains no sugar, so making it a cracker. We’ll think of it as shortbread’s little cousin with a savory kick.

 

 

Everything you see here are the ingredients for this lovely little morsel.

 

 

Parmesan Thyme Crackers inspired by Barefoot Contessa

Ingredients

1/4 pound unsalted butter at room temperature

4 ounces freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 cup)

1 tsp. minced fresh thyme leaves

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 Tbsp. water (optional)

 

Directions

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter for 1 minute.

 

 

With the mixer on low speed, add the Parmesan, thyme, salt and pepper, and combine.

With the mixer still on low, add the flour and combine until the mixture is in large crumbles. It took me about 4 minutes.

If the dough is too dry, add water. My dough needed 1 Tbsp. to create that perfect crumble.

 

 

Dump the dough onto a floured board, press it into a ball, and roll into a 9 inch log.

Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or for up to 4 days. I refrigerated for 45 minutes and then put it in the freezer for another 15 minutes.

This made for much easier slicing.

 

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

 

 

Cut the log into 3/8 inch thick rounds. 

 

 

Place them on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.

 

 

Bake for 22 minutes, until very lightly browned. Rotate the pan during baking.

 

 

Cool and serve at room temperature.

 

 

Enjoy!

 

 

Thanks, Ina!

Ciao!