Makes about thirty-six 4½ × 2½-inch (11 × 6-cm) crackers

These will remind you of Cheez-Its, those bright orange squares some
of us loved as kids, though these are so, so much better! Here, walnuts
provide a nutty flavor that is balanced by the cheese and butter. These
are delicious as appetizers—try them with some thinly sliced
cucumber and a bit of cumin salt (Chapter The Basics) or gomasio
(Chapter The Basics). Make a bit of yogurt cheese, add some to a
cracker, and top with thinly sliced vegetables or halved cherry
tomatoes. These also make a great after-school snack.

INGREDIENTS

• 1½ cups (200 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup (100 g) whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon ne sea salt
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• 7 tablespoons (105 g) unsalted butter, cut into about 10 pieces, at room temperature
• 1/3 cup (35 g) walnuts, finely ground
• 5 ounces (150 g) Parmigiano-Reggiano, finely grated (to give 2 cups)
• 1 medium egg

PREPARATION

1. Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer or food processor, mix the flours, salt, and baking powder with the paddle attachment.
2. Incorporate butter: Add the butter and mix until incorporated, resembling coarse cornmeal. If doing by hand, rub the butter into the dry ingredients with your fingertips.
3. Add walnuts and cheese: Mix in the finely ground walnuts and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese until combined.
4. Whisk egg: In a separate bowl, whisk the egg with 3 tablespoons water and add it to the mixture ingredients with the mixer on.
5. Add water: If using a mixer, the dough may clump on the paddle, so stop the machine, remove the clump of dough, and continue mixing, adding ½ cup (125 ml) water 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough holds together. If the dough is dry and crumbly, add additional water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it holds together.
6. Rest dough: Let the dough rest, covered, for 30 to 60 minutes.
7. Preheat oven: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line two or three baking sheets with parchment paper.
8. Roll out dough: Lightly flour a work surface. Working with half the dough, roll it out as thin as you can, 1/8 to ¼ inch (.3 to .6 cm) thick.
9. Cut and transfer dough: Cut the dough into strips 2 inches (5 cm) wide, then cut the strips the length you’d like them. Transfer the pieces of dough to the prepared baking sheets, arranging them so they are almost touching, as they will not expand during baking.
10. Bake: Bake in the center of the oven until they are pale gold and cooked through, which will take 15 to 18 minutes. Be careful not to overbake them, as they can become bitter.
11. Cool and store: Transfer them to a wire cooling rack to cool, and when they are completely cooled, either serve them immediately or store them in an airtight container. They will keep well for about 10 days.

NOTE:

• Let the dough rest the required amount of time so the gluten in the flour has time to relax, resulting in tender crackers.