My modern twist on an ancient Carta di Musica Bread-Cracker recipe, with herbs and edible flowers, makes for beautiful hors d’oeuvre crackers.
A Modern Twist On The Ancient Carta Di Musica Bread-Crackers
The first time I made carta di musica bread-crackers I simply used a favorite yeast bread recipe of mine, worked it a little extra with my dough hook, and rolled it through my pasta machine.
With long pieces of dough rolled out on my floured work surface I placed fresh edible flowers along the dough, some herbs from my garden and rolled it through the pasta machine again.
This is a recipe anyone can do easily with a few modern kitchen toys on hand.
The Perfect Hors D’Oeuvre Crackers
Beautiful dough, looking almost like fabric or a painted scroll, resulted in the perfect artsy hors d’oeuvre crispy crackers.
I now call my – carta di musica – a ‘bread-cracker’ because it is a bread dough recipe turned into a sturdy longer lasting cracker than most homemade cracker recipes.
Arrange the savory cracker pieces on an hors d’oeuvre platter with favorite cheeses, maybe some smoked fish and a favorite glass of wine and you have art on a plate!
Call It – A Style Of Flatbread
While semolina flour is traditionally used in this ancient bread recipe, I’ve sped up the rising time using all purpose flour for a more modern twist.
Having grown up in a Mediterranean influenced home making flatbread or pita bread, I found that a more refined flour doesn’t need to rest as long before cooking.
When I am in want of homemade crackers, I want the job to be fast, foolproof and last a few days without drying out.
The Ancient Origins Of Sardinian Flatbread
As in many cultures steeped in ancient culinary roots, the Italian island of Sardinia is known for its iconic dish: Pane Carasau Flatbread.
This Sardinian bread is so thin you can almost see through it, making it more of a cracker.
And like many age-old bread recipes that date back to the ancient Arab world, this Sardinian bread joins these legends.
Bread-Crackers For Shepherds
Let’s face it, sheep and shepherd stories of the Arab world, have been around for longer than there is an account them, and this bread-cracker fits into these stories.
Where sheep need to move about to graze, someone has to look after them.
It was the job of the Sardinian shepherds to look after the sheep, and the job of the women to provide what we would call a ‘shelf-stable bread’ for the shepherds to take away with them.
Why Is Carta Di Musica – Or Carasau Flatbread – Called Sheet Music?
Leave it to the romantic storytelling of an Italian!
This curiously named bread ‘Carta Musica’ or sheet music came about because the dough is rolled so thin that one could read sheet music through it before cooking it.
Romanticize this bread even further; why not press herbs and edible flowers between the dough before rolling it so thin and cause the dough to look like art.
I wonder what ‘sheet music’ the legend was referring to!
Gotta Love A Pasta Machine For Bread
If you’ve ever made homemade pasta, you know how a good pasta machine makes the job of making pasta easy, once you’ve used a rolling pin to flatten it enough to roll it through.
At one time, a pasta roller was hand cranked and tightened onto a countertop; in fact my first pasta roller was probably one of these.
Who knew a pasta machine was the perfect tool for making bread dough paper thin!
A good brand electric pasta machine or attachment to a mixer makes this task easy enough to let your kids try it with your supervision.
What Type Of Herbs For Carta Di Musica
If I were to profess a favorite herb, it would probably be rosemary. It’s the aroma, the flavor the steadiness to appear in my garden nearly all year, even when dusted with snow, much like my sage, which is probably my second favorite.
However, when placing leaves of herbs or petals of edible flowers in the dough to roll it thin, soft and delicate leaves are required, so as not to tear the dough.
Those choices are up to you. I’ve used tiny viola petals, nasturtium and sunflower petals, all easily tucked into the dough. Also I found tarragon, basil, tiny marjoram leaves work beautifully rolled into the dough.
Equipment Needed
- Pasta machine for rolling the bread dough out paper thin.
- Mixer with a dough hook, or can be done by hand in a large mixing bowl.
- Rolling pin
- Basting brush
- Measuring cup and spoons
- Knife to cut the dough once rolled out.
- Oven
Ingredients Needed
- Yeast
- Sugar
- Sea salt, both fine and coarse
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Water
- All purpose flour
- Fresh herbs
- Edible flowers, optional
Herbs In My Life
As some of you may know about me, I still consider myself a rookie gardener; learning as I go along with many a trial and error.
There’s a thrill I can’t deny when I put tiny seeds inside a pot of dirt inside my home during the dead and cold months of February and March and by April, life has emerged from this small effort on my part.
This thrill ultimately inspired my recent published book Dirt To Dish in which I share stories, some how-tos and recipes of things that happen in my gardens, throughout all four seasons.
Carta De Musica Bread-Crackers With Herbs
Equipment
- Pasta roller
- Basting brush
- wire rack
Ingredients
- 2 tsp Yeast
- 2 tsp Sugar
- 1 tsp Salt
- 2 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil more for basting
- 1 1/4 cup Water
- 4-5 cups All purpose flour more for dusting
- 1 tbsp Coarse sea salt
- 1/4 cup Fresh herbs
- 1/4 cup Fresh edible flowers optional
Instructions
- Proof the sponge – In a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment, a mixing bowl or simply a large bowl with a wooden spoon, place the yeast, sugar and lukewarm water and allow to sit for 1-2 minutes to dissolve. Add the salt, olive oil and a cup of the flour, into the yeast mixture and stir on low speed to bring the ingredients together. Slowly add flour and stir until it becomes difficult to stir. If using a mixer with a dough hook make certain to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Forming a dough ball – At first you will have a sticky dough, but as you continue to work in more flour you will have an elastic dough, but continue to work in as much flour as needed until it forms a soft dough ball.
- Rising the dough – Transfer the dough to a clean and lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and allow to sit out, room temperature, or a warm place until the dough doubles in size, about an hour. Once the dough rises, punch it down and let the dough rest for 5-minutes. Preheat the oven to 350.
- Shaping the risen dough– Sprinkle a little flour to create a lightly floured surface. Transfer the dough to the floured surface. With a rolling pin roll out the dough until it's about 1/4 inch thick. This thickness will fit easily through the opening of the pasta machine. Run the dough through the machine on its largest hole setting. Lightly dust flour on the surface of the dough, change the setting one notch lower and run the dough through a second time.
- Lay the long thin pieces of dough, about 6 inches wide, back onto the work surface with just enough flour to keep the dough from sticking, cut a few into shorter pieces if they are too long to work with. Place the flower petals and herb leaves of choice scattered on top of the dough, fold the dough over lengthwise and run the piece of dough through the pasta machine one last time. Do the same with the remaining dough. Cut the decorative dough into pieces and sizes you would want to display when serving. Transfer to the prepared sheet pan, brush an addition of olive oil lightly across the tops, and sprinkle a bit of coarse salt on top.
- Bake for about 10 minutes, watching closely so as not to brown too quickly. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. When completely cooled, the bread-crackers can be stored in an airtight container for several days.
Video
Notes
- Soft herbs work best when folding inside of the dough so as not to rip the delicate dough as fresh rosemary might do.
I believe the table... that place that draws people to gather, is the most powerful symbol of togetherness. All that happens before the table is set, the planning, the gathering, the preparing, are all an intricate part of the dance that create the mood of celebration to share with friends and loved ones.