GLUTEN FREE · PALEO · AIP · NUT FREE · VEGAN OPTION

These delicious crackers came to be in a phase that I was really missing savoury snacks - you know, things like salted crisps and pretzels, all full of flavour and unpleasant ingredients! So, I decided to try my hand at some savoury baking, and the recipe for these little guys was the happy result.

Guaranteed to satisfy any salty cravings, these crackers are made with gluten-free, grain-free and nut-free ingredients, and so can easily fit into any anti-inflammatory and gut-friendly diet. The rosemary and just a hint of garlic work so well together, and the combination of the cassava and tigernut flours create a very satisfying texture.

These Salted Rosemary Crackers are a perfect accompaniment to soups, or as an addition to any cheeseboard (regular or vegan), but they also make an excellent snack all on their own!

INGREDIENTS

Cassava flour

Made from the root of the cassava plant, also known as yuca or manioc, cassava flour is a brilliant grain-free, gluten-free and nut-free flour alternative. Its neutral taste, fine texture and white colour make it an excellent swap for regular wheat flour in gluten-free cooking and baking, and can be substituted 1:1 for regular wheat flour.

Although sometimes used interchangeably with tapioca flour, the two are not the same thing. While both are indeed made from the cassava root, tapioca is a starch which is extracted from the root via washing and pulping, while cassava flour is the whole root, peeled, dried and ground into a flour.

Unfortunately, not all cassava flours are created equal, so different products could yield differing results. This is the brand I use, and I absolutely love it.

Tigernut flour

Contrary to what its name suggests, tigernut flour is nut-free. Tigernuts (also known as chufa) are in fact not nuts at all, but small root vegetables. This means their flour is gluten-free, grain-free and nut-free, and is thus an excellent flour for Paleo and AIP recipes.

Tigernut flour has a slightly nutty taste and texture, and is most similar to almond flour (apart from being nut-free of course). It’s often preferred by those with gut issues because it less ‘starchy’ than cassava flour, and is less fibrous than coconut flour, and so is easier to digest. It is also a good source of resistant starch, which is a prebiotic (ie feeds the good bacteria in your gut), so your tum should be doubly happy!

Rosemary

Probably my favourite herb, rosemary has traditionally been used to alleviate muscle pain, improve memory and concentration, and even digestion.

I have used dried rosemary here, but if you wish to use fresh herbs, you will need about 3 times the amount. For the smoothest texture, grind the rosemary down to a powder before using, either in a coffee/spice grinder, or using a pestle and mortar (this will be much easier to do using the dried herb).

Garlic powder

Sea salt

Ghee

Possibly one of my favourite ingredients ever! Ghee has a lovely nutty taste and is an excellent alternative to butter, particularly in savoury cooking. Due to the removal of the milk solids, it is both lactose-free and casein-free and so is very well-tolerated, although may still need to be avoided by those with severe dairy allergies (in which case, odourless coconut oil would be a suitable alternative, making the recipe vegan).

Ghee is also a key ingredient in a gut-healing diet as it contains butyrate: a source of energy for the cells lining the colon, has anti-inflammatory properties, and can improve intestinal permeability.

Cold water

CHANGES & SUBSTITUTIONS

Make it vegan

I haven’t tried this myself, but logically you should have no problem swapping out the ghee for coconut oil in order to make the crackers vegan. The coconut oil should be semi-soft (neither solid not liquid) to replicate the ghee texture most accurately. I would also opt for an odourless version, so that the coconut taste doesn’t interfere with the resulting flavour.

No tigernut flour?

You can use regular almond flour instead of tigernut flour if you have trouble finding it (or just don’t like it).

TIPS

The dough will be at least a little crumbly, so to make working with it easier:

Dampen your hands before working with it, to help it hold together.
Roll it out between two pieces of parchment paper. Don’t worry if it cracks in places, you will just need to re-roll after you cut out your first round of crackers (you may need to do this a couple of times in order to use up all the dough).