Polentacrackers Recipes

POLENTA CRACKERS WITH ROASTED WILD MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• For the crackers: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Combine the flour, cornmeal, Parmesan, tarragon, cayenne and 1 teaspoon salt in a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse until incorporated. Add the heavy cream and process until the dough comes together. If the dough is too dry, add a little more cream, 1 teaspoon at a time, until the dough comes together.
• Lightly flour a sheet of parchment paper and place the dough on top. Shape the dough into a rectangle with your hands, then lightly flour the dough and roll it out with a rolling pin until it is a little less than 1/4 inch thick (about a 15-by-12-inch rectangle). Poke all over with a fork. Cut the dough into squares or rectangles and carefully transfer them to the prepared baking sheet. Bake until light golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Cool completely on a rack.
• For the mushrooms: Increase the oven temperature to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil.
• Toss the mushrooms with the oil, 3/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper on the prepared baking sheet. Roast, stirring once or twice, until tender and well browned, 20 to 25 minutes.
• In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice, tarragon and a pinch of salt and pepper. Transfer the mushrooms to a bowl and top with the tarragon-lemon juice mixture.
• Serve the crackers with the mushrooms on the side for topping.

SPICY POLENTA CRACKERS

Steps:

• In a food processor, fitted with the blade attachment, add the dry ingredients and pulse 3 times for 2 seconds each. Add in the half-and-half and the butter and pulse for 10 second intervals, 4 to 5 times, or until a dough starts to form. If the dough seems crumbly, and not binding, drizzle in a few drops of the water, a little at a time, until it binds.
• Turn out onto a lightly floured board and knead a few times. Divide in half, cover with plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for 10 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Put a silicone baking mat on your work surface and roll the dough into a rectangle, about 6 by 9 inches and 1/4-inch thick. Evenly trim the edges, adding back any trimmings to the second portion of dough. Cut 2-inch strips with a knife, but leaving the dough in place. Then cut diagonals to form triangular pieces, 2 inches on their long side. Repeat, gently transferring them to a baking sheet fitted with a silicone baking mat, spacing them 1-inch apart. Repeat with second half of dough.
• Bake for 9 to 12 minutes, checking carefully after 9 minutes. Crackers will start to turn golden.
• Remove from oven and let cool. Store tightly covered for up to 3 days.

POLENTA CRACKERS

Steps:

• Bring water to a boil. Add polenta and herbs, and cook until creamy. Remove from heat, and add salt and margarine. On a well-oiled cookie sheet, spread out batter until thin. Score into pieces with a sharp knife. Bake in a 350 degree oven 30-55 minutes, until crispy and brown. Cool and serve.

FLAKY PARMESAN CRACKERS

Steps:

• Combine flour, Parmesan cheese, butter, salt, and mustard for dough in the bowl of a food processor; pulse until mixture is well combined and resembles bread crumbs. Pour 1/2 of the cream in slowly, with the processor running, until combined. Continue adding remaining cream, a little at a time, until dough has come together in clumps and feels like a damp, but not sticky, slightly over-processed pastry dough.
• Gather dough into a ball, then roll into a log. Wrap in plastic and place in the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes or longer.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Cut dough into quarters, then cut each quarter into 8 pieces. Lightly flour each piece as needed and feed through one of the thinnest settings of a pasta roller to make irregularly shaped, oblong crackers that are about 1/16 inch thick, 2 inches wide, and 8 inches long. Alternatively, use a rolling pin to roll dough out on a lightly floured countertop, and cut into any shape you wish.
• Working in batches, lay crackers on a baking sheet. Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with Parmesan.
• Bake each batch in the preheated oven until crackers are browned at the edges, golden in the middle, and fully cooked through, 8 to 9 minutes. They will crisp as they cool.