I am sure that I would like this recipe as I have enjoyed the flatbread crackers at the Angus Barn. My question, however, is would I be able to achieve good results in making this bread without having dough hooks? Would it help to divide the ingredients in half, working with one portion at the time to cut down on the volume or do you think, or have you tried this recipe, without the use of dough hooks? Thanks for your help. I look forward to your column each week in the N & O.

E.C. I have tried this with traditional mixing attachments and it is a disaster. The dough is too elastic to be able to handle the multiple blades of a traditional mixer attachment. I would try (even though I have not tested this out) the blunt attachment of your food processor. I have successfully made pie dough with this attachment and think it could work for your dough for these crackers. Let me know what you find out. Alicia

From Delese via email: Hi I started your flat bread crackers this a.m. So next step with tomorrow morning and I am hoping you will have time to reply before then! My question follows: Would it be ok to use my pasta machine to get the thickness for the crackers???? I am excited to make these and serve with my awesome cheese! By the way I had to add a bit of water to the mixture as it was way to dry...but I often discover that to be true of many recipes here in Texas!

I am sure the pasta machine will work...the thinner the better for these crackers! Let us know how it goes....

From Delese via email: The pasta machine was great. My hubby and I had a blast making them together. We put some of them through the machine after I had put spices on the dough. I think next time I will put the spices in the dough the first day. We had soup and crackers for lunch and just a few minutes ago, crackers and crab dip!!! I said to hubby, "this may need to be a weekly thing"!

From Marcia via email: I really want to try this, but don't have dough hooks; in fact my hand mixer seems a bit flimsy, but that's the best I can do. Before I wade into this recipe and get STUCK in the middle, I wondered how you would suggest I proceed/a work-around/cautions. There was a time before dough hooks, after all. I am not a very experienced cook with breads. Thank you. Marcia

Hi Marcia, I have tried this with traditional mixer attachments and it is a disaster. The dough is very elastic and thick. Yes indeed there was a time before dough hooks, and it was all done by hand. I cannot imagine mixing this, kneading and stretching the dough for as long as it would take by hand. In this case I'd just buy the crackers....your time is definitely worth something.

From Jean via email: Thank you for such a quick response. I made the cracker batter yesterday and baked this morning. They were strong enough to stand up to a refrigerated dip and could easily handle being scooped! I did something wrong, I sifted then measured my flour. Your recipe did not say to do it so I accept the responsibility. I do want to try using olive oil as my vegetable oil and fresh finely chopped rosemary as a topping.

What about trying this as the base for a super-thin crust pizza?

email correspondence from Cynthia M: Thank you so much for the tips! It is a Sunbeam Mixmaster that I have, and it does have the corkscrew-type hooks. I'm sure that's the root of the problem. Next time, I will try my boyfriend's Kitchen Aid, as it has the "Captain Hook" hooks. I will also try mixing in the poppy seeds just prior to rolling. Unfortunately, I had that thought "post-roll out" but good to know that you suggested it, as well. Hi Cynthia, I have prepared the crackers with both of my mixers. I have a 40+ year old Kitchen Aid stand mixer with various attachments. It is from the time when Kitchen Aids had Hobart motors (that's why I think it still runs like a charm). But I have no idea how powerful it is or what model it is other than it has been doing an amazing job for 40+ years. (As a side note, I inherited this mixer from my best friend's mom when she died. She was a successful caterer, small business owner and cook and so I know she "worked" this mixer for all that it was worth. But it is not a professional grade mixer at all.) I have also successfully made the crackers with my Sunbeam Mixmaster which was purchased in 1985 and is no longer made. It was never a powerful mixer and in fact the motor burned out last year after 24 years of pretty heavy duty use. But the crackers were successful in this mixer as well. I have seen dough creep up dual hooks (some look like swirls instead of hooks and don't have the "cap" on them) on other mixers, but haven't ever experienced it myself and I wonder if the single (and true) dough hook is a better bet with the "thicker' doughs? Just a thought. But both of my dough hook mixers have had one hook with a cap at the top that keeps the dough from creeping up. Holding a rubber spatula at the top of the hook also works as a "cap." As far as the poppy seeds sticking, a good portion of mine also rolled off, but there were a significant amount that stayed on, too. One reader suggested (and I have not tried this) mixing the 'toppings' such as poppy seeds in the dough at the last minute of mixing. Other readers, who have opted for using their pasta press or roller to roll out the dough have reported the press "smashes" the toppings in better than the rolling pin or your fingers do. Hope this helps.... Alicia What type and size mixer with dough hooks did you use to blend the ingredients? I tried using mine, but it immediately pulled the dough all the way up the hooks and some got into the mixer before I could stop it. I used it first on the stand, then removed it to try as a hand mixer. Neither worked, and I've never had any problems using this mixer with the hooks. I had to mix/knead the dough in my hands for 15mins, which was quite a mess. Also, is there something special I needed to do to the dough to get poppy seeds to stick to it? I lightly rolled over the seeds after applying, but they rolled off when I took the crackers out of the oven. Sea salt worked well, but the absolute best and definitely the most delicious result was with the shredded parmesan. The cheese adhered well to the dough when baked and came out with a beautiful, golden brown color. It took a real effort to not wipe out the whole batch in a day's time and save some for my boyfriend and I to have with our veggie soup tomorrow. This cracker recipe, overall, worked out better than any I'd ever tried. The one from my favorite go-to book, The Fannie Farmer Cookbook, as well as Martha Stewart's, are a nightmare to roll out and turn out bland and have an odd texture. Thanks for your advice!