These lievito madre mother in law tongues are flat bread crackers that are easy to make using sourdough discard. Italian lingue di suocera are thin, crisp crackers perfect for snacking!Â
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Making crackers at home is easier than you think but never fails to impress guests with their fancy look. My latest obsession is finding ways to use my lievito madre starter and these flat bread crackers made with discard are delicious!
Similar to my rosemary crackers, these lingue di suocera are topped with rosemary but I also added oregano and basil for more Italian flavor. These long crackers were so named because of a mother-in-laws long gossiping tongue which thankfully I never experienced with my own!Â
Why I Love This Recipe
- Sourdough discard crackers are impressive on their own but rolling them thin into mother-in-law tongues makes them seem like they came from a fancy shop!
- Using lievito madre discard adds a unique slightly tangy taste to the flat bread crackers which makes them stand out on any snack plate!
Ingredient Notes
- Flour: All-purpose flour or bread flour can be used in discard crackers make them very versatile!
- Semolina flour: This high in gluten flour is perfect for crackers and is used a lot in Italian baking. If you are unable to find semolina flour, replace it with bread flour or whole wheat flour. Taste and color may differ.
- Lievito madre discard: It’s important that your sourdough discard is not more than 3-4 days old. If using traditional discard, you may need a few more tablespoons of flour.
- Topping: Chopped fresh rosemary, dried oregano, basil, salt and olive oil.Â
How to Make Lievito Madre Mother in Law Tongues
In a stand mixer add the lievito madre pieces and lukewarm water then mix.
Add the flours and oil, knead, then add the salt and continue to knead. Cover with a clean tea towel and rest.
Move the dough to a flat surface and divide into 4 even pieces. Roll each piece into an oval shape that is very thin and long
Place them on the prepared baking sheet.Â
Combine the topping ingredients.
Brush on top of each oval and bake until golden. Let cool or serve warm.
Cracker Flavor Variations
These lievito madre discard crackers are a blank slate that can be seasoned in accordance with how you plan to serve them!
- Seeds: Top them with poppy seeds, sesame seeds or nigella seeds.
- Seasonings: Chili powder and cumin would go great with guacamole. Everything bagel seasoning would be delicious served with just about anything!Â
- Cheese: I prefer Parmesan cheese but you can try other hard cheeses like pecorino.
- Pesto: Add a swirl of pesto in the dough and serve with burrata.Â
- Flakey sea salt: For a plain cracker, sprinkle with Maldon sea salt. Just be careful not to add too much or the mother in law tongue crackers will be too salty!
recipe Tips
- Roll dough out very thin, no more than 1mm thick, otherwise your crackers may not get as crispy while baking.Â
- For smaller half sized crackers, divide dough into 8 pieces. Baking time will likely decrease.
- To control the amount of bubbling in the crackers, prick with a fork before baking for a flatter cracker or don’t touch to encourage bubbling – this is what I prefer!
- If you would like to dry your crackers for longer storage, bake a lower temperature for a longer period of time. Just don’t raise the temperature of the oven as the olive oil topping will taste rancidÂ
- Remove from the oven when the crackers start to brown on the edges.Â
- Serve with pate, hummus, assorted dips or on an antipasto board.
Storage
Store crackers in an airtight container away from direct sunlight for up to a week. Depending on the temperature of your home, they might even stay crisp for a few weeks.Â
More Lievito Madre Recipes
When you are looking for something to make with your lievito madre discard then I hope you try these delicious mother in law tongues. Buon Appetito!
TOPPING
- 1 tablespoon chopped rosemary
- 1-2 teaspoons oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon basil
- ¼ cup olive oil
FOR THE MOTHER IN LAW TONGUES
- 50 g all purpose flour or bread flour
- 50 g semolino flour
- 50 g lievito madre discard (not more than 3-4 days old)
- 73 ml lukewarm water
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
FOR THE TOPPING
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In a small bowl combine the olive oil, rosemary, oregano, salt and basil. Let sit while you make the dough.
FOR THE MOTHER IN LAW TONGUES
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In a stand mixer (or by hand) add the lievito madre (broken into pieces) and water, mix for 1-2 minutes, add the flours and oil knead for 1 minute then add the salt and continue to knead for 4 minutes. Cover with a clean tea towel and let rest one hour.
-
Pre-heat the oven to 400F/200C. Line 1-2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
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Move the dough to a flat surface and divide into 4 even pieces. Roll each piece into a 25×12 cm oval shape that is very thin and long, place on the prepared baking sheet. Brush with the topping. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Let cool or serve warm. Enjoy!
Storage
Store crackers in an airtight container away from direct sunlight for up to a week. Depending on the temperature of your home, they might even stay crisp for a few weeks.Â
Calories: 256kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Sodium: 584mg | Potassium: 38mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.1g | Vitamin A: 25IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 2mg | Phosphorus: 28mg
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