Yield: This recipe makes approximately 10 – 4 1/2 diameter tortas.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon malt powder, optional
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 cup spring water, at room temperature (Note: Add additional water, if needed, drops at a time.)
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees fahrenheit, preferably with a baking stone in the oven, on which you will bake the tortas.

Mix together the ingredients in a large mixing bowl with a wooden paddle, until the dough comes together. Knead for a few minutes until the dough forms a mass, without crumbling. Allow the dough to rest uncovered at room temperature for 30 minutes or so.

Place the dough on a large flat surface suitable for rolling it out. Using a heavy rolling pin, roll the dough out as thinly as possible, until you can see through it (for thin tortas). Cut into rounds; we used a 4 1/2 inch cookie cutter. You can re-form the leftover dough and roll it out as well, forming yet more tortas, until you’ve used all of the dough.

Lightly spray the tops of the tortas with water (spring water) if you wish to place toppings on the tortas. The water aids the toppings in sticking. We use a variety of Merchant Spice Co.’s seasoned sea salts, such as oregano salt and rosemary salt.

Pick the tortas up with a paddle dusted with semolina and place directly onto the baking stone, fitting as many as possible. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the tortas are golden brown. These tortas serve well in place of crusty bread for tapas or in place of your favorite cracker. Welcome to the world of gourmet crackers!

NOTE: This recipe can easily be doubled. We found that an additional tablespoon of water is needed when forming the dough, if doubling. Also, the tortas can be cut into any shape you desire. Use a fluted pasta cutter to make rectangles and squares (shaped like ravioli).

Enjoy!

Torta dough, so thin that the light can be seen through it

The dough, rolled out and cut into circular shapes

Tortas de aceite, fresh out of the oven

Tortas de aceite, fresh out of the oven

Torta crackers, in assorted shapes

Tortas de aceite, served with garlic tapenade

Tortas de aceite, served tapas style

Tortas de aceite, served tapas style and accompanied by a hearty Spanish white wine