I’m revisiting Einkorn this month. I keep hearing good things about this grain so I decided it warranted further experimentation. I’m curious to find out how it performs and tastes in recipes that typically call for modern whole wheat flour. For this experiment, I made crackers using only Einkorn flour.
Einkorn is called the grain of the ancients. It has a unique light, rich taste and is twice as high in protein and many trace minerals as modern wheat. Some people with gluten sensitivities can tolerate Einkorn’s natural gluten because it is a different species of wheat (T. monococcum). Modern wheat evolved from wild emmer (T. dicoccoides). Einkorn is not related to emmer or modern wheat, and has been untampered since ancient days.
Source: http://www.growseed.org/einkorn.html
I’ve made these crackers a few times. The first time I made them with home-milled whole grain Einkorn flour and another time, I used 80% extraction Einkorn flour. Both versions tasted great. The dough for these crackers also includes sesame seeds, olive oil, and a little bit of salt and water.
The Einkorn crackers are simple to make and very healthy. Plus, they taste great! My taste tester came over a couple of days after I made them and asked if he could try them. I had a sheepish grin on my face because I had almost eaten all 4 dozen of them, but I did have a little bag left that I shared, reluctantly… I mean gladly.
Sesame einkorn Crackers
Yield: About four dozen crackers, depending how thinly you roll them and how small you cut them
Adapted from Homemade Whole Grain Crackers, New York Times, May 2, 2011
Ingredients:
- 1 1/4 cups Einkorn flour (80% extraction or whole grain flour)
- 1/2 cup toasted (or untoasted) sesame seeds
- 5/8 teaspoon salt
- 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or sesame oil
- 2 to 4 tablespoons water (more or less as needed)
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the oven racks in the middle and upper third of the oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Mix together the Einkorn flour, sesame seeds and salt in a mixing bowl.
3. Add the oil and cut in with a fork.
4. Add the water, and mix with your hands, until the dough forms a ball.
5. Roll out the dough between two pieces of parchment paper.
6. Cut into desired shapes and place them on the parchment-lined baking sheets. The crackers should be close together but not touching. I used a pizza wheel to cut squares.
7. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until lightly browned. Halfway through baking cycle, rotate the baking sheets from front to back and top to middle. Allow the crackers to cool on wire racks before serving.
I liked these crackers and so did my taste tester. They are addictive. They have a unique and nutty flavor. They could use a bit more salt, but other than that, they tasted great.
Storing the crackers: These will keep for about a week in an airtight container, but they taste so good, they probably won’t last that long.
Happy Baking!
Cathy
