Freshly made pita, warm from the oven, is a great pleasure. It feels somehow decadent, especially when served with home-made hummus, but pita, like so many other flatbreads, is easy to make.

Home-Baked Pita Bread

Ingredients:

• 1 1/3 cups warm water
• 1 tablespoon honey or 2 teaspoons agave nectar
• 2 teaspoons yeast
• 3-4 cups flour*
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 3 tablespoons olive oil

Dissolve the honey or agave in the warm water and stir in the yeast. Set aside to proof for 10 minutes. In a large bowl, sift or whisk together the salt and 3 cups of the flour. Add the yeast mixture and the oil. Mix with your hands or a sturdy wooden spoon, adding additional flour as necessary, until the mixture forms a ball. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8-10 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic. Lightly oil a spot on your work surface and place the dough there. Cover with a lightly dampened towel and a large inverted bowl, and allow to rise until doubled (about 1 hour).

Punch down the dough and divide into eight equal pieces with a bench scraper or sharp kitchen knife. Form into balls, cover with the damp towel, and allow to rest for another 20-30 minutes. Place a baking stone, sheet pan, or inverted cookie sheet onto the center rack of your oven and preheat to 450° F.

When the oven is hot, begin rolling your pita to a scant 1/4″ thickness. Place each in the oven immediately after rolling and bake for 2-5 minutes (2 minutes for soft, chewy bread; 5 minutes for crispy bread resembling pita chips). The bread will puff as it bakes and deflate slightly when it cools.

Serve warm or room-temperature with hummus, tuna salad, or your favorite spread or dip. Makes 8 pockets.

*I find that a 50/50 mixture of wheat and white (all-purpose) flour works best, but have had good results with all-white flour.

Chef’s Tip: Kneading is a great workout for arms, shoulders, and core (helps you work off the bread in advance!) Not in the kneading know? There are as many kneading styles as there are bread recipes out there. Search your favorite “how-to” or video site for ideas, or check out this guy; I chose this video because his style is fairly similar to mine.

Homemade crackers are an epicurean delight. Thicker than store-bought, they have a richer texture and are full of bright flavors that pop on the pallet. This recipe pairs the piquantness of cheddar with the warmth of pecans to create a wafer that is both well-balanced and well-rounded.

Cheddar Pecan Crackers

Ingredients:

• 1 pound butter, softened
• 1 pound sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 cup toasted chopped pecans
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 to 1 1/2 cups flour

In a large bowl, combine butter and cheese into a paste. Stir in pecans. In a separate bowl, whisk together 1 cup flour, salt, and cayenne. Slowly add flour mixture to cheese, mixing until a stiff dough forms. Add remaining flour if needed; the desired consistency is slightly looser than pie dough. Split dough in half, and roll each half into a 1″ thick log. Roll each log in wax or parchment paper and wrap with plastic wrap. Chill for a minimum of 3 hours (overnight is preferable).

When dough is chilled, remove plastic wrap and parchment paper. Slice dough into 1/4″ slices and place on baking sheets lined with silicone mats or parchment paper, 1″ apart. Chill dough rounds on the cookie sheets for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. The trick to crisp crackers is sliding the ice-cold dough into a hot oven, so make sure to move directly from the refrigerator to the oven. Bake for 12 minutes or until crackers are lightly brown around the edges. Cool on pans for 5 minutes before transferring to racks to cool completely.

Makes 30-40 crackers.

Many years ago, a friend handed me 2 grocery bags full of fresh plums from the trees on his property. That weekend, I made a number of plum cordials and some plum butter, along with this recipe. This chutney is a delightful accompaniment to pork or venison, and is excellent on a cracker or square of cocktail bread with a strong cheddar as an appetizer.

Sweet and Sour Plum Chutney

Ingredients:

• 3 pounds ripe plums, pitted and cut into 1″ pieces (skin on)
• 2 cups apple cider vinegar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger
• 2 tablespoons mustard seed
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon jarred hot pepper rings, diced
• 1/4 cup chopped green olives
• 1/2 cup diced onions
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic

In a medium stock pot, combine all but 1 cup plums with 1 cup vinegar. Cook, covered, over medium-low heat until plums are soft. Finely chop remaining plums; set aside. In a separate heavy-bottomed pot, melt sugars in remaining vinegar over medium heat. When plums are soft, puree with an immersion blender. Stir in sugar syrup and remaining ingredients, including diced plums, and bring to a boil. Immediately after mixture boils, reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 hours or until sauce is thick. Pour into pint jars and refrigerate. Use within a week or freeze for up to 6 months.

Makes 2-3 pints.