Rye Crispbreads with Labneh and Hot-Smoked Salmon
With a hint of sourness thanks to the rye, these thin, crispy crackers are the perfect foil for tangy, rich labneh and unctuous smoked salmon. The crispbread recipe makes more than you’ll need—store the remainder in an airtight container.
Ingredients
Crispbreads
- 2 1⁄4 teaspoon active dry yeast (1 packet)
- 1 1⁄4 cup warm water
- 1 1⁄2 teaspoon honey
- 2 cups rye flour
- 1 cup all-purpose flour plus more for dusting
- 1 1⁄2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon fennel or caraway seeds toasted and slightly crushed
- 1⁄2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
To Assemble
- 3⁄4 cup labneh cheese
- 8 ounces hot-smoked salmon flaked into bite-size pieces
- 1 to 2 lemons cut into wedges
- 1 bunch easter egg radished thinly sliced
- Extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling
- 1⁄2 cup fresh tarragon leaves Flaky sea salt for sprinkling
Instructions
Crispbreads
- Combine yeast and warm water in a small bowl and stir until yeast dissolves. Stir in honey and let mixture stand until foamy, 5 to 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, oil a large bowl and set aside. Combine flours, salt, fennel seeds, and red pepper flakes in a large bowl. Pour yeast mixture into dry ingredients and stir. Mix dough with your hands, kneading a few times, until it’s a sticky, stiff, wet mass. Transfer to prepared bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a clean cloth. Place in a warm spot (such as oven with light on) and let sit for about 1 hour. Dough will rise and be a bit puffy, but it will not double in size as all-white flour doughs do.
- Heat oven to 425°F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Divide dough into quarters. Working in batches and keeping unused dough in bowl under a damp paper towel, roll out 1 piece of dough on a lightly floured surface until about 1⁄8-inch thick. Dough will be sticky and hard to work with, so don’t be afraid to use more flour.
- Using a pastry cutter, cut out 3-inch circles. Use a smaller cutter to cut out a tiny circle in the middle of the circles to create a doughnut shape. Using a bench scraper or knife, carefully transfer rounds to prepared baking sheets. Poke surface of each round several times with a fork or skewer. Repeat with remaining dough.
- Bake rounds for 12 to 15 minutes, until edges are lightly browned and begin to curl up. For extra crispy crackers, turn off the oven, pile all crackers onto 1 baking sheet, and return to oven. Allow crackers to dry out completely for a few hours before serving.
TO Assemble
- Spread labneh onto each cracker and top with flaked salmon. Squeeze a bit of lemon juice over fish and top with radish slices. Drizzle with olive oil, add a few tarragon leaves, and sprinkle with a pinch of flaky sea salt. Serve immediately.
Polina Chesnakova
Polina Chesnkova is a Seattle-based food writer, cooking class instructor, and the author of Hot Cheese: Over 50 Gooey, Oozy, Melty Recipes.
Bettina Makalintal
Bettina Makalintal is culture's former editorial assistant. With a background in the food industry and as a bike mechanic, she can often be found biking in search of new donut shops.
