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July 24, 2009 · 28 Comments

Rosemary Parmesan Crackers-Duo Dishes

We are the best guests you’ll ever want to have at a party.  Why is that, you ask?  Well, simply because we believe that walking through the door with a small gift is the least we can do for the organizer who will keep us fed and/or hydrated all night long.  There are a lot of different ways to please your host.  Depending on the occasion, walk in with a keg or a few bottles of Dom, and a smile will come to their face.  Add a couple of platters of edible goodies, and they’ll thank you wholeheartedly.  We know what it’s like to invite folks to your house, have them put their feet all over your couch, shovel down all the bacon wrapped dates, drink every Grey Goose Lemon Drop and then leave without so much as even saying “Well, it’s been fun.”   It’s not cute!  If you want to be a good friend, always come with something in hand.  You’ll be guaranteed to receive more Evites than you can stand if you remember that one little thing.  So to all of the hosts with the most out there…this one’s for you!

These savory little nibblets were not for a raucous fête.  In fact, it was a catch up session with a friend.  She supplied the rosé, cheese, a hammock on which to lounge and pictures of her recent trip to Paris.  We brought a few of our favorite chocolate covered shortbread cookies, more rosé (you can never have enough) and these crackers to snack on as we chatted.  The recipe is based on one from Ina Garten.  Several people who made them actually thought they had the consistency of shortbread–cheesey shortbreads.  After tasting one, we concurred, and so we’re going to call them just that.  We found a great Australian parmesan at Trader Joe’s and decided to use it in this recipe, although you can use whatever you like.  Just make sure it’s a fresh chunk, not the pre-grated kind in a tub.  A few people also had trouble pulling the dough together, which we did not, but you can sprinkle in a few drops of water or milk if your dough is tougher than expected.  They were great with slices of salami and even crumbled on top of a salad.  If we had thought to save a few, we could’ve crushed them and used them to coat baked chicken.  Oh well.  We think you’ll enjoy them as much as we did, whether you hand them off as a gift or eat them all by yourself.

Rosemary Parmesan Shortbreads – Approx. 30 crackers  (inspired by the woman we’d love to have as an aunt, the Barefoot Contessa)

3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, minced
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 pound unsalted butter, room temp
3 ounces fresh parmesan, grated
Zest of 1 lemon, minced

1.  Using an electric mixer, beat the butter until creamy and fluffy.  Mix the remaining ingredients in a separate bowl, combining well, and slowly add to butter.

2.  Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface.  Divide into two pieces and roll into small logs.  Wrap both logs in plastic wrap and freeze for 30 minutes.*

3.  Cut the logs into 1/4″ thick slices. Place the slices on a parchment paper lined pan and bake for 20-22 minutes in a preheated oven at 350 degrees.  Cool completely on a wire rack.

*We actually prepared the dough the day before and left the wrapped logs in the fridge overnight.  Surely, you can do what works best for you in your time frame.

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Click HERE for the printable recipe.

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Categories: Breads, Muffins and Rolls · Nibbly Bits
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