Rye crispbread

Crispbreads are simple to make and a lovely thing to serve up when you have friends over. Top with cheese or pâté.

By The Hairy Bikers
From The Hairy Bikers' Northern Exposure

Ingredients

  • 300g/10½oz wholemeal rye flour, plus extra for dusting
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • 1 heaped tsp aniseseeds or fennel seeds
  • 1 tsp honey
  • 30g/1oz butter, softened

For the topping (optional)

  • 1 free-range egg white
  • mixture of seeds, such as caraway, anise, poppy, sesame

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.

  2. Put the flour in a large bowl. Add the salt, baking powder, anise seeds, honey and butter. Mix thoroughly, then start slowly adding 175ml/6fl oz water, stirring until you have a soft dough. Don’t worry if it’s a bit sticky, it will be fine once you start rolling.

  3. Generously flour a work surface and turn out the dough. Roll the dough out thinly.

  4. Cut out 20cm/8in rounds – you should get 6 - 8 rounds. Cut a small hole in the middle of the rounds.

  5. Place the rounds on 3 baking trays and prick the crispbreads all over with a fork.

  6. For the topping, whisk the egg white with 1 tablespoon water and brush over the crispbreads. Sprinkle with your choice of seeds and press down lightly.

  7. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Remove and leave to cool on a wirerack.