Mark Bittman's crackers

Who needs Christmas cookies?  Christmas crackers!



Read the article and the recipe also. 

FYI the crackers stayed on the table all night.  Some Christmasers who were able to resist the biscotti, the cupcakes, and the homemade wine kept going back for more and more crackers. I made some variations with about 1/4 cup whole wheat flour, cheddar cheese, and garlic.

Merry Christmas and Happy Nor'easter,
Sarah

Sourdough Olive Bread II

The first time we made Sourdough Olive bread it wasn't so....

flat.  On record, no knead loaves should look a little bit wetter.  This was a crisis/disaster/emergency loaf that ended up delicious.  This rave review coming from the girl who thinks olives taste like slugs.  So you know it was really a good one.  

This was the second attempt.  I hardly wrote anything down but this is basically what happened:

We used...

2 cups whole wheat flour

1/2 cup wheat germ

1 cup bread flour

2 cups sourdough starter

1 cup water

1 cup olives

3/4 cup olive water (because it was just salty/olive-y water)

maybe another whole cup of all purpose when we kneaded...

cornmeal for the dutch oven

We...

1.  Put the flours, liquid and starter together.  

2. Waited 20 minutes.

3. Folded in sat and olives.

4. Left it covered for 12+ hours.  Went out to Indian, Ben and Jerry's for dessert.

5. The next morning we took it out.  Discovered it's a little too wet and folded in some flour:

6. Placed it on a baking stone to rise for another two-three hours.   

7. Came home from a date at Harney SoHo and find this:

Wannabe pizza??!  Not on our watch!  We popped that bubble in the front-center and transfered it carefully to the dutch oven where it had to become a boule.  We turned the oven on it's lowest setting to get a pre-spring oven spring going and then turned it up to 450 for about 45 minutes until the center temperature was 200degrees.  

I have no photograph of the final loaf because it's too delicious to photograph.  Also, it's raining and the light in the apartment right now would do this boule no justice.  Excuses excuses.

Olive you,

Sarah