Rye-Fennel Crackerbread from Leader's New Book

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susanfnp on 30 Aug 2007 at 21:50

I made this rye-fennel crackerbread from the new Leader book, Local Breads. Easy and good! The recipe is here.

Rye-fennel crackerbread

Susanfnp

http://www.wildyeastblog.com

I'm thinking I should branch out and try things other than sourdough. I've put this on my list. By the way, I just read your DDD story - now I want one too!

 Trish

I'm not familiar with crackerbread..what would you serve it with? It looks great!

Susan- you have inspired me to make that bread as well.  I am puzzled by one thing, though.  The recipe calls for ground fennel and anise seeds, but both your version and the book's author show whole seeds.  Did you use ground for the dough, and added whole seeds for the top, or did you just use whole seeds? 

Hi everyone,

Yes, I found this to be a great "branching out" bread, very easy! (BZ, you give me WAY too much credit)

PaddysCake, I'm not what you would call an epicurean genius so I'm always loath to recommend food pairings, but if not just eating it plain (which is what we mostly do), you could make an open-faced sandwich with meat or fish, vegetables, cheese, whatever (how's that for a wishy-washy answer?) The anise and fennel do not lend an overly strong flavor to this bread, so it goes well with anything, at least to my untrained palate.

Caryn, there is ground anise and fennel in the dough, and I also sprinkled whole fennel seeds on top (this to match the photo in the book, although the recipe instructions did not specify to do this. I didn't press mine in hard enough and most of them fell off. However, I found this was OK because I rather like the more subtle fennel flavor that the whole seeds tend to overpower.)

Susanfnp

http://www.wildyeastblog.com

it was truly a cracker or bread, hence my question. I'm guessing by your response that it is more of a bread?

I'm not terribly fond of the licorice taste.  Do you think it would be good with caraway seeds - which I LOVE? 

Rosalie

Susan, those are exquisitely rustic!  Lovely things - yum, they look really good.  Wish I could have a bite.

PaddysCake, oops sorry, I didn't understand the question at first. Yes, it's crisp like a cracker (although mine wasn't 100% so).

Rosalie, the ground fennel and anise in the dough really do not impart a strong licorice flavor (though I would avoid putting the whole seeds on top if you don't like that flavor). But why not try it with caraway and see if you like it?

ZB, thanks!

Susanfnp

http://www.wildyeastblog.com