Rosemary Oatcakes (savoury, wheat-free, vegan cracker)

These oatcakes are a delicious, thin, lunch time cracker infused with a delicate hint of rosemary. They serve well with most dips or pates, along with a salad and are popular with most people who try them.

Other things that you’ll need:

• Rolling pin
• Cookie cutter or sharp knife
• Oven tray
  

Variations and notes:

• I make oatmeal (ground oats) from regular organic, rolled oats by grinding them for a few seconds in a nut mill (although you can buy oatmeal ready ground in any decent health food store).
• Add other fresh chopped garden herbs, dried mixed herbs or garlic.

Method

1. Finely chop a good handful or more of fresh rosemary leaves, until you have at least a tablespoon of finely chopped rosemary.
2. Turn oven on to approximately gas mark 7 (220˚C/425˚F).
3. Mix all dry ingredients together.
4. Add 175ml (6 floz) of the water and mix thoroughly with the dry ingredients. Add the remaining 25ml of water a little at a time, until you have a dough-like ‘rollable’ ball (the best way to mix is to use the back of a spoon, with a pressing type motion or just get your hands in there). When you have added all water necessary, press firmly together with your hands. You may be tempted to add more water to get it to bind, but make sure that you really need it first, otherwise you’ll end up with a soggy mix! If you put too much water in it’s not really a problem though, just add extra oatmeal or spelt flour.
5. Split the dough into two (makes rolling easier) and roll out on a flour dusted surface until it is about 3 mm (8th of an inch) thick (I like to use spelt flour or fine oatmeal to roll/dust with, but whatever you have will do).
6. Cut with cookie cutter and place onto an oiled oven tray. If you don’t have a cookie cutter, then just cut into squares or triangles with a sharp knife.
7. Place on oven tray and then bake in preheated oven between 20 and 25 minutes, until they begin to gently tan.
8. Lift from tray and let them cool down on a cooling tray. They should firm up nicely with an enjoyable crunch. Some people like them less crunchy, in which case take out before they start to tan. I am in the ‘crunchy’ camp personally. Explore.