Cheese Crackers

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups (6 1/2 oz) unbleached, all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp granulated sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
• 1/8 tsp ground cayenne pepper
• 3/4 - 1 cup (to taste) chopped fresh dill (or any chopped, fresh herb)
• 6 oz grated Romano cheese
• 2 oz grated parmesan cheese (you should have approximately 3 1/2 cups of cheese in total.)
• 8 oz. (2 sticks, or 1 cup) of butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 2 tsp cold water
• Additional ground black pepper and sesame seeds for sprinkling

Instructions

1. 1

   Add the flour, sugar, salt, black pepper, cayenne...: Add the flour, sugar, salt, black pepper, cayenne and dill to the bowl of a food processor fitted with the chopping blade. Pulse a couple of times to combine all the ingredients and blend the dill into the flour.

2. 2

   Add the cheese and pulse 2 or 3...: Add the cheese and pulse 2 or 3 times to combine. Add the butter, all at once, and pulse until the mixture resembles bread crumbs. Sprinkle in the water, and pulse a few more times, just until the mixture starts to look like dough. (It the dough is still pretty dry, sprinkle in another teaspoon or two of water.)

3. 3

   Dump the dough - which will be a...: Dump the dough - which will be a bit crumbly - into a large bowl or onto a clean work surface. Press the dough together and knead a few times with your hands to bring the dough together. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, and up to 1 day.

4. 4

   Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and have...: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and have at the ready: 2 baking sheets covered with parchment paper, a 1 1/2-inch biscuit cutter or sharp knife or pastry wheel, a cup of flour, a small bowl of tap water and a pastry brush, a large flat spatula, a rolling pin, black pepper and sesame seeds.

5. 5

   Sprinkle some flour across a clean works surface....: Sprinkle some flour across a clean works surface. Remove the dough from the refrigerator, unwrap it and lay it on the work surface. Dust the top with additional flour. Roll the dough into a thin sheet, approximately 1/8 inch thick. (NOTE: If the dough has been in the refrigerator for several hours, you'll probably have to let it soften on the counter for 10-15 minutes to let the butter soften before rolling out.)

6. 6

   Run the spatula underneath the dough from all...: Run the spatula underneath the dough from all sides to loosen any dough that's stuck to the work surface. Cut out the crackers with the biscuit cutter and lay them on the baking sheets very close together, but not touching. (You can also cut the crackers into squares with a knife or pastry wheel.)

7. 7

   Lightly brush the tops of the crackers with...: Lightly brush the tops of the crackers with water and sprinkle with additional black pepper and sesame seeds.

8. 8

   Bake one sheet at a time for 14-16...: Bake one sheet at a time for 14-16 minutes, until the edges of the crackers are starting to brown. (While one sheet is baking, put the other sheet in the refrigerator.)

9. 9

   Remove from the oven onto a wire rack...: Remove from the oven onto a wire rack and allow the crackers to cool completely on the sheet. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 weeks.