Lavash Crackers and Vegetarian Jollof Rice

I love crackers and our challenge for this month was lavash crackers from Natalie Gluten A Go Go and Shel Musings from the Fishbowl. I would have prefered to try a gluten free dessert because there are a lot of people who view being a vegetarian, vegan, gluten free...well, as boring. This challenge would have been a good opportunity to show off a really yummy alternative dessert.

Having said that, I'll get to business: "The Challenge: Make lavash crackers and create a dip/spread/salsa/relish to accompany it........Get crazy!" Hmmm. Getting crazy wasn't the thought that skipped through my brain, but I decided to at least get busy. I chose to make a lavash cracker that my family would love and that I could serve with dinner so I made garlic, sesame and asiago cheese crackers and served them with vegetarian jollof rice, cheese and some grapes on the side. (My family has a thing for asiago...look at the focaccia in the post below.)

What was my favorite part of this challenge: the dough. I am a tactile person so I really loved the smoothness of the cracker dough. (What can I say? I was the kid who always touched stuff even when the signs said, "No Touching.") So, despite my lack of enthusiasm I did enjoy making these crackers after all and I am thankful that this challenge introduced something new into my life.

(Confession of a bad Daring Baker: I suppose I should have used the recipe for the challenge, but I found this one and liked it too much. The recipe below is not GF and it has one and one-half tablespoon egg in it. Not the challenge recipe, but one I'm going to make again.)

Lavash (Recipe found at Epicurious)
Gourmet April 2006
Adapted from Woodstock Inn & Resort, Woodstock, VT

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour plus additional for dusting

1 tablespoon whole-wheat flour

1/3 cup vegetable shortening (preferably trans-fat-free) at room temperature

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon sugar

2/3 cup water

1 1/2 tablespoons beaten egg (from 1 large egg)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus additional for greasing

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 1/2 teaspoons white sesame seeds

1 1/2 teaspoons black sesame seeds

1/4 cup grated Asiago cheese (3/4 oz)

Special equipment: a stand mixer with dough hook attachment;

2 (17- by 12-inch) shallow baking pans

Preparation

Mix together flours, shortening, salt, and sugar in mixer using dough hook attachment at medium speed until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add water and egg and mix 5 minutes (dough will be very sticky).

Scrape down side of bowl and cover with plastic wrap, then let stand at warm room temperature at least 1 and up to 4 hours.

Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 350°F.Stir together butter (2 tablespoons) and garlic. Lightly brush baking pans with additional melted butter.

Turn out dough onto a well-floured surface and dust generously with flour, then divide dough into 2 equal portions. Roll out 1 portion of dough with a lightly floured rolling pin into a roughly 10- by 7-inch rectangle. (Dough will be very soft.) Dust backs of your hands with flour and slide them under dough. Working over 1 of the baking pans, gently stretch dough as evenly as possible to fit into pan. Pull sides and corners of dough to cover bottom of pan evenly. (Sides of dough may be slightly thicker than center.) Repair any holes in dough by pinching and pressing dough together.

Repeat with second piece of dough and other baking pan. Brush surface of dough lightly with garlic butter (be careful not to tear the dough), then sprinkle evenly with sesame seeds, lightly pressing to help them adhere. Sprinkle with cheese.

Bake, switching position of baking pans in oven and rotating them 180 degrees halfway through baking, until golden, 25 to 35 minutes total.Cool lavash in pans on racks, about 15 minutes. (Lavash will crisp as it cools.) Break into pieces to serve.Cooks' note:Lavash can be cooled completely and kept in an airtight container at room temperature 3 days.