This recipe came about one day at lunch while eating my Spicy Polenta Crackers. I suggested to my husband, Walter, that maybe they could be improved with coarsely ground polenta. His response was “Why not try grits?” – which turn out to be inspired. The resulting crackers were full of the crunch, saltiness and spice we love, and for such small quantities of ingredients these really do deliver on flavor.

Making your own snacks is such a nourishing way to eat, avoiding all the dubious ingredients that make store-bought versions shelf stable. And so much better than the Ritz crackers of our youth!

Grits Crackers

Makes about 50 crackers | Equipment: A food processor; a rolling pin; a 1 1/2-inch (3 cm) round pastry cutter; two baking sheets lined with a silicone sheet or baking parchment

Ingredients

1/2 cup (40 g) spelt flour or all-purpose flour
1/4 cup (40 g) yellow, stone-ground grits
1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon chipotle, ancho chili or Espelette powder
1/2 cup (45 g) finely grated Pecorino cheese
1 1/2 tablespoons (20 g) chilled salted butter, cubed
About 3 tablespoons buttermilk, shaken to blend

Method

1. Position two racks in the oven. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).

2. In the bowl of the food processor, combine the flour, grits, salt, baking soda, pepper, and cheese. Process to blend. Add the butter and process just until the mixture resembles coarse corn meal. Slowly add the buttermilk and process just until the dough forms a ball. You may not need all the buttermilk, stop the food processor when the mixture forms a ball. Transfer the dough to a sheet of parchment paper set on a work surface. Place a second sheet of parchment on top of the ball and, with your palms, flatten the ball. With the rolling pin, roll the dough into a rectangle about 8 by 10 inches (20 x 25 cm). Using the biscuit cutter, cut out rounds of dough and arrange them side by side on the baking sheet. The dough does not expand in baking, so the rounds can be placed quite close to one another. Any leftover bits of dough can be rolled into a ball and used again. Repeat with the rest of the dough.

3. Place the baking sheets in the oven and bake until the crackers are golden and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Once cool, transfer to an airtight container. The crackers can be stored for up to two weeks.

Note: If you can’t find grits, substitute with polenta, coarse polenta or cornmeal. The result will be slightly less crunchy.

This is a Nourish the Planet recipe, part of a collaborative series by Patricia Wells and Emily Buchanan.
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