Parmesan Sesame Crackers -- The Kind of Simple Thing Worth Sharing After a Big Weekend

The farrier symposium in Billings on Friday and Saturday. Tom Whelan and I drove down together Thursday evening and stayed at a motel near the convention center. There were maybe eighty farriers from across Montana and Wyoming, most of them older than me by twenty years, all of them with the particular weathered look of men who've spent their careers bent over horse hooves in weather that doesn't cooperate.

The sessions were good — a clinic on hoof pathology that went deeper than anything Tom had been able to show me, a demonstration of hot-shoeing techniques from a farrier who competes nationally, a panel discussion on working with difficult horses that I found practically useful. I took notes the way I took notes in the Army, which is: the important things, shorthand, the connections between them. The notebook has fourteen pages of it.

Tom introduced me to people as his student, then paused and said, "Actually my colleague. He's past student." I was standing next to him when he said it and I didn't know how to accept that graciously so I just nodded. A man in the industry for forty years calling you a colleague is not a small thing. I'm going to let it mean what it means.

I texted Sarah from the motel both nights. Short texts — the symposium details, a joke about the motel coffee, which was somehow worse than the VA cafeteria coffee. She texted back with enthusiasm about the farriery information and a picture of her dinner, which was again a microwave bowl. I said I was going to teach her to cook something. She said, "Maybe."

The farrier symposium. Fourteen pages of notes. Tom Whelan calling me his colleague. A good weekend.

Sarah texted back “Maybe” when I said I’d teach her to cook something, and I’ve been thinking about where to start — something that doesn’t require much, doesn’t forgive sloppiness, and tastes like you meant it. These Parmesan Sesame Crackers are exactly that kind of recipe: convention hall food done right, the sort of thing that would have improved that motel spread considerably, and simple enough that “Maybe” could turn into a yes without much convincing.

Parmesan Sesame Crackers

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 14 minutes | Total Time: 29 minutes | Servings: 24 crackers

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 3–4 tablespoons cold water
• 1 egg white, lightly beaten (for brushing)
• Flaky salt, for topping (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven. Heat your oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Mix dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, Parmesan, sesame seeds, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper until evenly combined.
3. Cut in butter. Add the cold butter pieces and work them into the flour mixture with your fingertips or a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with no large butter chunks remaining.
4. Add water. Add cold water one tablespoon at a time, mixing with a fork until the dough just comes together. It should hold when pressed but not feel wet or sticky.
5. Roll the dough. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to about 1/8 inch thickness. Aim for even thickness so the crackers bake uniformly.
6. Cut and arrange. Cut into roughly 2-inch squares or rectangles using a knife or pastry wheel. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet, spacing them slightly apart.
7. Brush and top. Lightly brush the tops with beaten egg white. Sprinkle with flaky salt if using. Use a fork to prick each cracker two or three times to prevent puffing.
8. Bake. Bake for 12–14 minutes, until the edges are golden and the centers feel dry to the touch. Watch closely in the last two minutes — they go from done to over-done quickly.
9. Cool. Let the crackers cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. They will crisp further as they cool.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 48 | Protein: 2g | Fat: 2g | Carbs: 5g | Fiber: 0g | Sodium: 75mg