Herbed Oyster Crakers

ingredients

• 1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast (from a 1 1/2 teaspoons package)
• Pinch of sugar
• 1/2 cup lukewarm (105–,115º,F) water
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried, crumbled
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 dash cayenne
• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

directions

Stir yeast and sugar into warm water in measuring cup and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. (If mixture doesn't foam, discard and start over with new yeast.) Stir together 1 1/4 cups flour, thyme, salt, and cayenne, then make a well in center and add yeast mixture and oil, stirring to form a dough.

Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead in 3 tablespoons flour (dough should be moist but not sticky). Knead until smooth and elastic, about 6 minutes, then transfer to a lightly oiled large bowl and let rise, covered with plastic wrap, in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled in bulk, 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Roll out dough as thin as possible (into an 18 inch square) with a lightly floured rolling pin on a lightly floured surface. Sprinkle with kosher salt and gently press salt to help adhere. Cut dough into 1 inch squares with a pizza wheel or large sharp knife. Transfer with a lightly floured metal spatula to 3 lightly oiled baking sheets, placing squares close together.

Bake in batches in middle of oven, rotating sheets halfway through baking, until bottoms are golden (tops will remain pale), 7 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely. (Crackers will crisp as they cool.)