Fun Friday: Beetroot, Thyme & Feta Dip with Chickpea & Black Sesame Crackers

Ingredients:

• 350g of baby beetroot, cleaned and tops cut off
• 200g of Danish Feta
• 1 large clove of garlic
• 1 teaspoon of thyme leaves, chopped

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius (355 Fahrenheit).
2. Cut the tops off the beetroot and place in foil along with the garlic and wrap in the foil.  Place in a baking tray and bake in the oven until the beetroot become soft.
3. Peel the beetroot and then chop into small cubs and process in a food processor, along with the garlic until it forms a smooth purée.  Then strain over a bowl in a strainer lined with paper towel to remove the juice.  You might like to set this aside for an hour or two.
4. Purée the Danish Feta until smooth before adding the beetroot purée and the chopped thyme leaves.  Process until well combined.  Chill before serving.

Chickpea and Black Sesame Crackers
Recipe from Martha Stewart
Note: The crackers soften the next day, so these are best eaten on the day they are made.

Ingredients:

• 1 can (15.5 ounces/400 gram) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
• 3/4 teaspoon ground pepper
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan (1 ounce)
• 3 to 4 tablespoons of cold water
• 1 large egg white
• Black Sesame Seeds

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 160 degrees Celsius (320 degrees farenheit) and place the racks in middle and lower third of the oven.
2. In a food processor, pulse chickpeas until coarsely chopped. Add coriander, salt, pepper, flour, and butter, and pulse to combine.
3. With machine running, gradually add the cold water until the dough forms a ball.
4. Add Parmesan and pulse to combine.
5. Remove the dough from the food processor and divide the dough into two 1-inch-thick disks.
6. Tear off a sheet of baking paper and lightly sprinkle it with flour and place one of the dough rounds on top.  Cover with another sheet of baking paper and rool out to a 1/8-inch 3.5mm thickness.
7. Cut the dough with a cookie cutter into your preferred shape and place onto a baking tray lined with baking paper.
8. Use a fork to prick holes in each cracker (I did this all over my crackers) and then brush with egg white and sprinkle with black sesame seeds and bake until golden brown and crisp, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through.
9. Let crackers cool on sheets.