DARING BAKERS CHALLENGE -- Lavash Crackers

   This month's Daring Bakers Challenge is the first challenge to be vegan and/or gluten free.  Alternative Daring Bakers:  Natalie from Gluten A Go Go, and co-host Shel, of Musings from the Fishbowl, chose the savory recipe for Lavash Crackers from Peter Reinhardt's The Bread Baker's Apprentice.

The Challenge:  Make Lavash Crackers and create a salsa/spread/dip or relish to accompany it.
The Rules:  The Lavash Crackers can be made either with all-purpose wheat flour or gluten free, and can be topped with any variety of spices/seeds or salt.  All salsas/spreads/dips or relishes must be vegan and gluten free.
What I Learned from the Challenge:  I need to make these crackers regularly.  They are easy, fast , taste delicious, and (a BIG and) cost so much less than the Lavash Crackers I have been buying at Whole Foods.

   I served the crackers with the assigned "toppings of my choice".  I made a spicy apple chutney from 128 Cafe in St. Paul, Minnesota, and served it as 128 does, with roasted whole heads of garlic and a mild goat cheese.  Yes, the goat cheese is not vegan, but I need the cool blandness of the goat cheese along with the spicy chutney.  It's a great combination...  squeeze a sweet, roasted garlic clove onto the cracker and spread, then top with the chutney and goat cheese; a fantastic appetizer!

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                                         LAVASH CRACKERS
                 from The Bread Baker's Apprentice by Peter Reinhart

Makes 1 sheet pan of crackers

•  1 1/2 cups unbleached bread flour
•  1/2 teaspoon salt
•  1/2 teaspoon instant yeast
•  1 tablespoon agave syrup or sugar
•  1 tablespoon vegetable oil
•  1/3 to 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons (3 to 4 ounces) water, at room temperature
•  Poppy seeds, sesame seeds, paprika, cumin seeds, caraway seeds, or kosher salt for toppings

1.  In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, salt, yeast, agave syrup or sugar, oil, and just enough water to bring everything together into a ball.  You may not need the full 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons of water, but be prepared to use it all if needed.
2.  Ferment at room temperature for 90 minutes, or until the dough doubles in size.  (You can also retard the dough overnight in the refrigerator immediately after kneading or mixing).
3.  Mist the counter lightly with spray oil and transfer the dough to the counter.  Press the dough into a square with your hand and dust the top of the dough lightly with flour.  Roll it out with a rolling pin into a paper thin sheet about 15 inches by 12 inches.  You may have to stop from time to time so that the gluten can relax.  At these times, lift the dough from the counter and wave it a little, and then lay it back down.  Cover it with a towel or plastic wrap while it relaxes.  When it is the desired thinness, let the dough relax for 5 minutes.  Line a sheet pan with baking parchment.  Carefully lift the sheet of dough and lay it on the parchment.  If it overlaps the edge of the pan, snip off the excess with scissors.  
4.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit with the oven rack on the middle shelf.  Mist the top of the dough with water and sprinkle a covering of seeds or spices on the dough (such as alternation rows of pappy seeds, sesame seeds, paprika, cumin seeds, caraway seeds, kosher or pretzel salt, etc.)  Be careful with spices and salt -- a little goes a long way.  If you want to precut the cracker, use a pizza cutter (rolling blade) and cut diamonds or rectangles in the dough.  If you want to make shards, bake the sheet of dough without cutting first.
5.  Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the crackers begin to brown evenly across the top (the time will depend on how thinly and evenly you rolled the dough).
6.  When the crackers are baked, remove the pan from the oven and let them cool in the pan for about 10 minutes.  You can then snap them apart or snap off shards and serve.

                                    SPICY APPLE CHUTNEY

•  1 cup brown sugar
•  1/2 cup rice or white wine vinegar
•  1 stick cinnamon
•  1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger root
•  1 tablespoon fresh garlic
•  1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
•  1 teaspoon kosher salt
•  1 cup golden raisins
•  4 Granny Smith apples, peeled & diced
•  1 tablespoon fresh mint
•  2 cups Roma tomatoes, diced

1.  In a 6-quart sauce pot over medium heat, combine the brown sugar and the rice or white wine vinegar and cook down until syrupy.  Add cinnamon stick, ginger, garlic, cayenne pepper and salt.  Reduce for 5 more minutes, then add golden raisins.
2.  Add the apples to the pot and cook for 8 minutes over medium heat until the apples are slightly tender.  DO NOT overcook.
3.  Carefully strain the apple raisin mixture and reserve the liquid.  Once the apple raisin mixture has cooled, add the diced tomatoes.
4.  Put the liquid back into the saucepot and reduce over medium heat for 5 minutes or until thick but not caramel-like.  Remove cinnamon stick.  Add this thickened liquid back into the apples, and stir in the fresh mint.
                                        MAKES 5 CUPS
                    

To Roast Garlic:  Remove some of the papery covering of the garlic half-way down the bulb.  Place garlic in a small oven-proof dish that is just large enough to hold the garlic.  Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt.  Cover tightly with aluminum foil and place in a preheated 375 degree oven.  Bake until, when tested, garlic is soft.  Use immediately by squeezing each individual garlic clove from its papery exterior. 

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