Dill and yogurt make a natural marriage, for the herbaceous and faintly floral notes of dill pair nicely with the tart creaminess of yogurt. Here the two come together in a simple, flaky homemade cracker. Soaking flour in yogurt not only infuses the crackers with the yogurt’s tart and cheese-like flavor, but it also tenderizes the crumb. The crackers are not only both flaky and tender, but also redolent with flavor. While we eat them out of hand at home, I also like to float a few in bone broth—chicken, beef, or whatever I happen to have on hand—with a sprinkling of parsley and minced garlic when any member of my family feels under the weather.
MAKES: ABOUT 5 DOZEN 1½-INCH CRACKERS
INGREDIENTS:
- 1½ cups whole wheat pastry flour, plus more for working the dough
- ½ teaspoon finely ground unrefined sea salt
- 1½ teaspoons dried dill
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter,
- 4 tablespoons at room temperature,
- 2 tablespoons melted
- ½ cup yogurt
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Put the flour into a large mixing bowl and whisk in the salt and dill. Beat in the 4 tablespoons of room-temperature butter until the flour resembles cornmeal in texture. Beat in the yogurt until the mixture forms a thick dough. Cover the bowl tightly and allow it to rest in a warm place in your kitchen for at least 8 and up to 12 hours.
- Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat the oven to 450°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Divide the dough into four portions. Flour your work surface and roll out each piece of dough to an even 1/16-inch thickness, then use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to cut the dough into 1½-inch squares. Place the squares on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about ½ inch apart.
- Brush the squares with the 2 tablespoons of melted butter and prick them with the tines of a fork to prevent them from puffing as they bake. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes, until the crackers are just tinged with gold around their edges. Pull them from the oven and cool them on a wire rack. Store the crackers in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
